Armstoel, bekleed met gebatikt perkament c. 1900

This armchair was made by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, likely in the early 20th century, and combines carved wood with parchment that has been decoratively dyed, or ‘batiked’. Now, batik is typically associated with textiles, and specifically with Indonesia, where elaborate patterns are created by waxing areas of the cloth, then dyeing it, then removing the wax – a resist process. Transferring the technique to parchment is unexpected, and it speaks to the experimental ethos of the Arts and Crafts movement, in which Lion Cachet was active. Look closely, and you can see the deep labor involved in the decoration, and in the carving of the chair’s frame. What was usually a surface treatment for fabric has here been applied to a far more rigid, unforgiving material. The result is a tour-de-force of technique. This armchair is a reminder that the best design comes from a close engagement with materials, and a willingness to test the boundaries between art, craft, and manufacture.