Resources exploring the origins and traditions of different textiles techniques
Batik - Design, Style History By Fiona G Kerlogue Thames Hudson Pounds 18.99 www.thameshudson.co.uk
From grand photographs of the Sultan of Surakarta and his family in ceremonial dress to intricate designs of peacocks and phoenixes using vibrant dyes, this book offers a comprehensive account of how this wax textile technique has evolved.
Charting its origins, the author tracks its development from Indonesan royal dress to today’s catwalk fashions.
Of special interest is the technique used in paintings from the 1960s onwards, which experiments with landscape and portraiture.
Overall, this could be useful as a secondary-school reference book for textiles and cultural history, although the complexity of terms may be somewhat confusing.
