Dress of Indian chintz

isiShweshwe Collection: Probably made at the Cape. Note the use of the indigo in some of the floral sprigs. The Indian method of applying designs on to cotton was complicated, and included the application of various coats of resist paste (in this case, beeswax) and mordants, alternated with dippings into madder red or indigo blue dyebaths, and a final direct application of yellow dye where needed.