Portret van Pedanda Boedha en Pedanda Siwa before 1897

This photographic print, by Christiaan Johan Neeb, shows two Balinese priests. What really leaps out at me are the intricate textiles they wear. We can see the distinctive qualities of cloth: the drape and fall of the material, its texture, and the way the patterns seem to float on the surface. The photograph itself flattens the image, but even so, we can tell that considerable skill went into the making of these garments. It's likely they were produced using the batik technique, where wax is applied to the cloth before dyeing, creating a resist pattern. The control of the wax, the layering of dyes – all this would have been painstaking work, with the patterns holding deep cultural meaning. Consider, too, the social context. Textiles in Bali are not simply commodities; they are deeply embedded in ritual and social life. Appreciating the skill and cultural significance embedded in these textiles enriches our understanding of this image. It reminds us to look beyond the surface and consider the profound meaning woven into the very fabric of society.