With beautiful full-color Batik cloths and extensive historical and cultural commentary; Batik: From the Courts of Java and Sumatra is a fundamental work in the field of Indonesian art and culture.Batik occupies a special position in Indonesia. The extraordinary photographs of cloths and prints in this book demonstrate why batik is the stuff of textile legend. These 71 batik designs; taken from the collection of famed dealer Rudolf G. Smend; date from 1880-1930; a time still considered batiks golden age.Emanating from the provicial and stately courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta in Central Java are hip; chest; shoulder; and head cloths in controlled; orderly; geometric patterns in natural soga brown; indigo blue; black; and cream. Brighter colors and freer designs on the sarongs made in Cirebon; Pekalongan; Lasem; and other towns along Javas commercial north coast eloquently attest to the blending of indigenous forms; motifs; and colors with outside influences. Southern Sumatra; with its Muslim heritage; contributed large shoulder cloths and headscarves often bearing Koranic invocations.Complementing these extraordinary cloths are 16 vintage photo prints from the Leo Haks collection; which demonstrate how batik was worn at court and in other settings.
#2492405 in eBooks 2013-03-20 2013-03-20File Name: B00BSEQN3K
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Howie the RookieBy Jesse CardozoHowie the Rookie is an amazingly powerful show that takes place on the mean streets of Dublin. There are only two live characters in the whole show. Act I is the story of the Howie Lee who is after the Rookie Lee (no relation)."After someone means youre lookin for them. Gonna hurt them. Gonna give them a hidin"Act I is a rollercoaster ride of emotion as you follow the Howie on the chase; through his sexual encounters; and ultimately; to learn the harder facts of life!Act II follows the Rookie Lee after his hidin through his entanglement with Ladyboy; a viscious shark-like gangster. Cocky and narcissistic; the Rookie learns humility and what it means to be a friend.Howie the Rookie is gritty; raw; and uncensored. The language is sometimes tough to get through (unless youre a native irishman)and is not for the faint of heart. Id recommend this to anybody looking for something different and edgey. Youre in for a treat!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. No ScabbiesBy Brian EgrasIn Howie the Rookie; Mark ORowe proves himself a leading playwright. The story is original; tense; and told in a most compelling way. It is unmistakenly Irish but exposing the seedy side of Dublin in a way that a tourist could never imagine existed. The writing is fresh and driving. ORowe often uses Irish street slang that would be best served with a glossary (as is done in Irvine Welshs magnificent Trainspotting).The story is told in two separate monologues; one by Howie Lee and the other by the unrelated rival Rookie Lee. Vengence is sought for the spread of "scabbies" as well as compensation for the destruction of prized fighting fish. You travel the streets of the hellish Dublin culminating in a tragedy of various proportions. (I do not wish to give too much away.)This play won numerous awards for good reason. It is play-wrighting at its very best. Buy this book and then compel a local company to perform this outstanding play.