Batik: Design, Style, & History [Paperback]

Fiona Kerlogue (Author), Tara Sosrowardoyo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2004

A comprehensive and richly illustrated survey of batik, a glorious textile art and popular Indonesian cloth.

Every aspect of batik is rich in symbolism: its colors, motifs, and designs, as well as the way it is made, folded, and worn. Formerly a family and tribal signifier, and then a symbol of Indonesian independence and identity, it is now a fabric in demand all over the world. Fiona Kerlogue explores the origins of batik in the Indonesian archipelago; the materials and methods of production; regional traditions and differences; motifs and symbolism, including Malay, Chinese, and Islamic meanings; modern influences, such as industrialization, war, and independence; batik as traditional and modern costume; and batik as an art form. An illustrated index of motifs and their meanings, glossary, bibliography, and international listing of batik collections complete this authoritative yet accessible work. 205 illustrations, 168 in full color

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Fiona Kerlogue is a Keeper at the Horniman Museum in London. She has taught and lectured extensively on textiles in Britain, Southeast Asia, and the United States.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (November 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500284776
• ISBN-13: 978-0500284773
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #863,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A history and a photographic showcase of Batik textile art, January 4, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Batik: Design, Style, & History (Paperback)

Batik: Design, Style & History is both a history and a photographic showcase of Batik textile art of Indonesia. Perhaps most often used in brilliant shawls for women's daily wear, batik has even had styles meant to be associated with the aristocracy and are worn to this day for ceremonial occasions. In addition to full-color images of batik fabric, Batik: Design, Style & History includes some vintage black-and-white photographs of batik being worn or even created. The text spares no effort in delving into the traditions and even legends behind this unique and wonderful blend of artistic expression and practical functionality.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The least talented of all of the writers on textiles of Southeast Asia, March 26, 2008

By 

Indophile "Indophile" (Bali) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Batik: Design, Style, & History (Paperback)

Save your money. Get the McCabe book. Kerlogue is long on archival sources and museum references, short on any humanistic insights (and perhaps ethnographic experiences?) into the meanings and uses of textiles. She is an "armchair scholar" and this comes through in what she produces. There is an (sort of) encyclopedic quality to her works, but they are sorely missing in humanity. Archaic, cold, and just not very good. Anyone who has spent tome in Southeast Asia will find her work vapid.