Sarong (Indonesia), 1900–1957

A panel of glazed cotton, resist-printed, probably by a batik method known as cap (tjap) printing (wax resist applied by means of blocks inlaid with copper strips). Design is dark blue, light blue, and white, showing a butterfly hovering over full twining bouquet of flowers (“buketan” motif). Border is floral (a North Javanese batik innovation) with repeat in two shades of blue covering two thirds of piece (the body or ‘badan’ of the sarong); design on the remaining third (the head or ‘kepala’ ) is in two shades of blue on dark blue ground. The leaves of flowers and foliage, as well as the wings of butterflies, are filled with small white dots and lines.