Tablecloth

Stamp print batik

This tablecloth is stamp printed, in the traditional wax-resist textile art technique of batik.Melted wax is applied to a natural fabric (such as cotton or silk) to block out specific areas, preventing dye from penetrating those sections. This process of waxing, dyeing, and dewaxing can be repeated in layers to create vibrant, intricate multicolored designs.

Squares of traditional repeating geometric patterns are presented in a checkerboard composition framed by a border of white and brown organic patterns and solid black edging.  The dense geometric field and organic borders belong to the broader Indonesian batik tradition of geometric patterning, in which small, repeated units are transformed into a continuous field. Geometric motifs can carry associations with order, balance and harmony.

• Title: Tablecloth

• Date: 2008

• Geography: Bali, Indonesia

• Medium: Cotton

• Dimensions: H. 76 in.  W. 50 in.

• Provenance: Purchased in Ubud, Bali

• Inventory Number:  IND.03