Shawl

This imitation batik shawl was manufactured by Langley Prints in 1926. The craft of batik came to Europe from Indonesia via the Netherlands. It was popularised during the 1920s by practitioners such as Mme Pangon in Paris and Jessie M. King of the Glasgow School of Art. The characteristic lines made by cracks in the wax during the dyeing process are considered a fault in Indonesia. In the West, however, many artists used these to ornamental effect. The technique involves applying wax to the textile to protect the patterned areas before placing it in a dye bath. The process can then be repeated by removing areas of wax and dyeing the exposed parts with further colours.

Shawl · Great Britain · 1926. Screen-printed silk, machine-hemmed, knotted silk fringe. By Langley Print Works. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.