INDONESIAN TEXTILES by Michael Hitchcock (Icon...

INDONESIAN TEXTILES by Michael Hitchcock (Icon Editions/HarperCollins: $27.95). The current interest in the world’s threatened rain forests has produced a spate of books on the arts and crafts of tropical people. Unlike the standard volumes that do little more than praise the aesthetic qualities of native craftsmanship, Hitchcock’s book emphasizes the social context of these textiles. His detailed but readable text examines the place weaving and weavers hold in traditional Indonesian society, and the way various fabrics are used, including some produced specifically for the export/tourist market. However, his prose is overshadowed by the color photographs of the sumptuous, flamboyant fabrics.