The TRC recently received a most unexpected, but very welcome gift from the famous textile printing company of Vlisco, Helmond, the Netherlands (TRC 2013.0317). It is a long length of cloth decorated with four panels depicting Crown Prince Willem Alexander, the Prince of Orange, and his wife, Princess Maxima. The design has been especially designed to celebrate the forthcoming royal investiture of Willem Alexander as the new King of the Netherlands, on 30thApril 2013.
Vlisco wax cloth commemorating the investiture of King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands, 30th April 2013 (TRC 013.0317).
The firm of Vlisco was established in 1846 and has since been producing textiles, often imitating batik, for the Dutch East Indies and Indonesia, and from 1876 the firm has also produced fabrics for the West and Central African markets.
The design of the Willem Alexander textile follows the style of printing, called “wax hollandais”, which was developed by Vlisco over the last 167 years and which is especially geared towards West and Central African taste. The cloth is part of a very long African tradition whereby historic and important events are celebrated by the creation of commemorative designs on cloth. This particular design, however, is not for sale, but was especially printed by Vlisco to be used as a gift for a select group of Vlisco contacts. The TRC is very proud to have been included among this select group.
Gillian Vogelsang, 21 April 2013
