This sarong belongs to the Peranakan Chinese, and would have been worn with a blouse known as a ‘kebaya’. It features large floral bouquets along with butterflies and birds. The inclusion of bluebells shows European influence in Chinese batik workshops. Peranakan Chinese batik is noted for its gay colours—such as shades of orange, yellow, pink and mauve—made possible by the use of imported chemical dyes from Europe beginning in the 19th century.
