Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-20
XT ASHINGTON, D. c., April 16.-That
~ batik will soon be accepted as an
art in this country is prophesied by

W art in this country is prophesied by
]. P. Neigh, batik-maker of this city.
Most of US have seen vivid samples of
batik which we were told were made by
drawing design on material with wax and
dipping the piece in dye to color the part
unprotected by wax. We understood that
this was high Javanese art and that taste
for it should be cultivated
Now, it seems, the most startling out
bursts Of color are not necessarily the most
admirable. In fact, they represent an early
phase of American batik-makers' attempts
at dyeing in the Javanese fashion.
Until recently, Mr.. Neigh says, the fate
of batik in this country has hung in the bal
ance. Artists and connoisseurs waited to see
if flashy, futuristic designs, displayed as
typicaIly Javanese batik, would be replaced
by more subtle work. There was danger, too,
of batik becoming a porch fad like basketry
and bead chains. If this fate were to befall,
and batik were to be made by persons with
no understanding of technique, color, or de-
sign, then the process would be permanent
ly relegated to the plane of fancy work. It
would have it's day of favor and retire.
Luckily for batik and it's defenders, it's
production has proved little too difficult
and too exacting to attract many faddists
Lucily, too, craftsmen who were turning out
smocks, scarfs, and lampshades in hashed
rainbow effects eventually began to absorb
Jav,nese traditions, which called for softer
our most skilled batikers is indicated by the
fact that they often receive orders for their
work from abroad.
CrackIe Effects Passing
recent exhibition of batik dresses made
by New York artist was surprise even to
some visitors who talked learnedly Of crackle
effects and admired the right points in the
designs. The thing that surprised them was
that these dresses suitable for wear on
the street. In most cases, only the sleeves
were decorated with the dyed designs, and
the clear patterns in beautiful color combi-
nations we're more conspicuous than
trimmings of delicately figured printed silks
would have been. This, it was agreed, was
standard for American Jatik.
In this exhibition there was very little Of
the popular crackle effect, produced by let
ting the wax on design crack so that the
colors run through it in thin veins. Crackle
has been so prevalent in American batiks
that many people regard it as a sure test
of real batik. The Javanese, however, regard
cracking of the wax as a flaw, because it may
occur without the artists wish if the cloth
| is not handled with care to prevent the wax
| from breaking. Javanese dyers use the eff
feet only occasionally when the design is in
| colors that do not harmonic readily, and so
used it is undoubtedly artistic
For centuries, Javanese natives have been
| decorating their clothing with painstaking
| care, using this method of wax dyeing. The
| important processes are the waxing of the
design and the dipping.
| Ordinarily, a little pipe-like tool, called a
| tjanting, is used for waxing. The bowl of the
| tjanting is filled with melted wax and the in
| strument is guided over the material so that
| from a tiny spout in the bowl is pour
| ed out in the lines or figures of the pattern.
| Javanese Process Reversed
| The Javane~- dip their materials in the
| darker color first, and remove color where
| it is not wanted by hot water or ammonia.
| Western batikers reverse the process, making
| it simpler. If white, yellow and green are the
| colors to be used wax is first poured over
| the part of the material which is to be left
white. The piece is then dipped in yellow
! dye. Then that part of the design which is
| to remain yellow is covered with wax and
| the goods is dipped in blue dye to produce
| green. The wax is removed by gasoline.
| The processes of batiking have to the
| Javanese all the dignity of an art They re-
| sent limitations and do not look with favor
| on dyed patterns produced by speed-making
! contrivances. Even though similar patterns
are used over and over, the designers put
something of their own individuality into
| them.
Some of the old designs are sacred to GER
tain ranks and are made especially for them.
! Hunting scenes, for instance, are reserved
| for royalty. Such pieces, done by the best
batik-makers in Java, are not simple strips
of cloth with a conventionalized stag and
hound repeated at strict intervals. A batik OF
this sort often contains only large pic
ture and the effect is like that of tapestry