TRAVEL

• National Dress
• Egypt and Africa
• India
• Japan
• Java
• Bibliography
• Glossary

Travel

Java

 

Native Dress in Java, 1929

The film shows a fusion of Western and traditional Indonesian clothing design. The Javanese men wear light-coloured linen and cotton blazers, crew-necked loose shirts and loose-fitting trousers that allow the air to circulate in the hot climate. A swath of cloth is draped diagonally over the body, like a toga.

 

Men in Patterned Sarongs in Funeral Procession, Java 1929

The men wear an array of patterned sarongs including stripes, spots, flowers and geometric prints, loose shirts and headcloths. The monochrome film does not reveal what colour the sarongs were, but surviving examples of Indonesian batik from this period indicate they were a wide variety of shades. This is shown in multi-coloured sarongs in the V&A’s textile collection (Item No. IS.98-1977) and at the Whitworth Art Gallery (Item No. T.1984.4)

 

Man with sword, Java 1929

In this still, two men walk away from the camera, the one on the right carries a sword on his back. This was a customary practice as an oil painting from about 1810 at the British Museum shows. It depicts a man with a sword secured to his back with a waist wrap Item No. (As2006Ptg.8).

 

Woman, parasol and baby, Java 1929

A woman holds her baby in a sarong that is tied round the shoulder. She wears a blouse and full-length skirt and holds a parasol to shield her from the sun’s rays. Parasols originated from the Middle East and date as far back as 1200BC. In the East, parasols were originally for Emperors, Pharaohs and Kings and were held by their servants. In the East they were necessary due to the climate but were more of a fashion accessory in the West.

 

Contact

About The Project

Screen Search