Description: This catalogue focuses on a group of 72 batik altar cloths recently donated to the Peranakan Museum. Families traditionally used embroidered cloths made in southern China, but in the early 20th century, the cloths began to be made of Javanese batik. Essays by Peter Lee, discussing the use and historical context of altar cloths in Southeast Asia, and by Fiona Kerlogue, on the significance of the designs on the cloths, complement beautifully illustrated entries on each cloth.
Brief description: Peter H. Lee is professor emeritus of Korean and comparative literature at the University of California, Los Angeles.