January 25, 2013

Batiking men in 1918

Came across this very interesting picture when I was looking for the Corps Diplomatique photos (see previous post 'Get your national gear on')***. In the description it says: "Two men are making Batik on silk. On the wall a sign with 'Nederlandsche Werkplaats'. Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1918.".
The next picture was of a man in the same workshop, with the same poster on the wall, appearing to use a canting. If this is so, it's a really unique picture, because man don't use canting (on Java), so photos of man batikking with cantings are very rare.
On the other hand, making Batik was a quite trendy during that time **. In the Netherlands we had our own version of the Arts and Craft movement called Nieuwe Kunst. Artists like Jan Toorop and Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof were inspired by Batik and many Nieuwe Kunst artists, like Bertha Bake, made Batiks themselfs.

Although the Art Movement ended, or faded around 1915, it is more logical that the men on the picture represented that movement instead of De Stijl (started 1917).

The pictures are taken by photographer P. van Tol. If you search on his name in the Nationaal Archief (gahetna.nl), you find many wonderful, almost time capsules of workshops in he Netherlands in the beginning of the 20th century.
The poster is made by Rens Rossel. His signature is on the right corner. Found the poster online in the archive of Gemeente Rotterdam. The full text says: "Dutch workshop/workplace. Studios, own design to paint on silk fabrics. Wijnstraat 68, Rotterdam". Couldn't find more about the workshop or the location. It's all new buildings on that street, so probably it was bombed during the second world war. Rens Rossel also made a poster for a flower-exhibition, after that the archives run dry.

In 1918 an exhibition was held in Rotterdam 'Tentoonstelling van Kunstnijverheid en Volkskunst' (Exhibition of Arts and Crafts and Folkart). A lot of the participants, mostly female , who joined the exhibition made Batiks *. Maybe the men made this pictures for the exhibition or to advertise their studios.

This is all the information I could find by googling online and in my head. I hope to find out one day who these men are and if there are still hand painted silk fabrics by them out there. If you have any tips or ideas about this, let me know!
* From the book "Vrouwen in de vormgeving in Nederland, 1880-1940" by Marjan Groot
** See post 'Little Red Riding Hood, where are you going?'
*** Photos of men making Batik are from the Nationaal Archief, http://www.gahetna.nl/

January 19, 2013

Get your national gear on

New Year reception 2013, photo by Frank Buis/AT5

This week our queen held her New Year reception for the ambassadors located in the Netherlands. In the newspaper I read: "If you want to see a parade of exotic national costumes you have to see the Corps Diplomatique".
Yesterday I collected these images from all the New Year receptions held from 1955 till now. It's a fashion show of national costumes!
Unfortunately I couldn't find any pictures of the Indonesian ambassador and not all the pictures had information about who was is on it. It's great that the Nationaal Archief has these great historical pictures online. Every New Years reception the Dam seems to be covered with snow and the ambassadors in their exotic, not so warm clothing appear to have travelled from far far away.
Found some other interesting pictures, but those are for a next post.

Enjoy the Corps Diplomatique at the Paleis on the Dam in Amsterdam!
Arrival ambassador Japan with two ladies in kimono, 12 january 1955

Arrival ambassador of Ghana, 7 january 1970

Arrival ambassador of Nigeria and his wife, 7 january 1970

7 january 1981

7 january 1981

7 january 1981

7 january 1981

7 january 1981

Soedan and wife, 13 january 1982

Three ladies in kimono, 13 january 1982

Arrival of Ambassador Quator and his wife, 13 january 1982

Arrival ambassador of Libya, 11 january 1989


All blackandwhite pictures from the Rijksfotoarchief: Collectie Algemeen Nederlands Fotopersbureau (ANEFO), 1945-1989. www.gahetna.nl

January 13, 2013

Iwan Amir's Revival of Batik Belanda

Iwan Amir for Erasmus Huis (Photo by Irvan Arryawan/Feminagroup)

During the Jakarta Fashion Week 2013 the Dutch Cultural Centre, Erasmus Huis, and Netherlands Embassy presented: The Revival of Batik Belanda. The fashion show was shown on 7 November 2012 in the Erasmus Huis. They invited three young designers Lulu Lutfi Labibi, Iwan Amir and Sischaet Detta, to make an collection inspired by Batik Belanda.

Iwan Amir made the most colorfull, and also the most Batikful collection. I don't really see the big Batik Belanda reference. Yes, he uses bright colors and flowers, but this is not just typical Batik Belanda anymore. In Pekalongan this batik style is still being produced. I miss the historical context and they all could have done much more with this very (and my favorite) period in Batik history.
I do like the fact that he made a wearable fashion collection that shows that patterns in bright colors are fun to wear. And I just want all those shoes!

Surfed around to find some nice pictures of his fashionshow for you. Enjoy!
Iwan Amir for Erasmus Huis (Photo by Irvan Arryawan/Feminagroup)

Iwan Amir for Erasmus Huis (Photo by Irvan Arryawan/Feminagroup)

Photo by mithakomala10

Photo by mithakomala10

Photo by mithakomala10

Photo by Lucca Yoga