This year we are taking a second look at our Linnaeus Apostles, but this time using a filter for textiles and plant dyes. The "apostles" were sent out from the University of Sweden in the 1700s by their professor, Carl Linnaeus, to gather plant specimens, name and classify them using the binomial naming system, and identify plants that could be economically useful to Sweden. Our guide in this venture is Viveka Hansen, and her work Textilia Linnaeana: Global 18th Century Textile Traditions & Trade.
Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828) spent nine years in the field in Europe, South Africa, Japan, Batavia (also called Java), and Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka). During this time he collected, named, and observed the thousands of plants he encountered. He was not as interested in textiles and related subjects as some of his fellow apostles, but his notes do include information and observations. As a student he had an opportunity to travel to France, where he visited the tapestry factory Les Gobelins, and commented on the fashions of the day.
While in South Africa (1772-1775), he wrote about the local Hottentots, who used sheepskin and calfskin and other animal hides for their garments, typically decorated with shells instead of any plant or mineral dyes.
Thunberg left for Japan in 1775, and spent six months in Batavia en route to and from Japan. There he gathered information about the Javanese people, their clothing, and fabrics. Batavia was a thriving trade center for the Dutch East India Company, so he had the opportunity to learn about cotton, silk, linen, weaving, and resist dyeing, as well as some of the plants used for dyeing.
He cites Indigofera tinctoria as the most important commodity for the trading company; it was used to produce the highest quality blue dye. Garcinia mangostana was gathered in January when the rind turned deep purple, and used for dyeing black. Morinda citrifolia root produced red (similar to the common madder Rubia tinctoria, except dyeing with Morinda citrifolia could be done in lukewarm water). Many of the dye recipes and dye processes were passed from Indonesian mothers to their daughters and held in secret, so Thunberg could not provide many details.
Thunberg spent 15 months in Japan from 1775-1776. Although his movements were restricted and he was sequestered on the man-made island of Deshima, he earned trust and was able to interact freely with local Japanese doctors, take day trips to Nagasaki to collect plants for medicinal purposes, and travel to Yeddo (now Tokyo) to honor the Shogun Teharu. His notes report on dyeing yarn and fabrics in Japan, and plants used for dyeing. He also reports on shibori, the resist dyeing process that is unique to Japan.
People in the provinces used Rubia chordata for red dye (also related to the common madder root). For blue, people used "Polygonum Chinese, barbatum, and avuncular" which are similar to indigo. The leaves were dried, pounded, made into small cakes, and sold in shops. The cakes were mixed with ashes and boiled in water (the stronger the mix, the darker the blue), and used to dye linen, silk, and cotton. In his work, Flora Japonica, Thunberg later describes Serratula tinctoria, or saw-wort for yellow; Carthamus tinctoria or safflower for yellow silk; and Crocus sativus also for yellow.
In 1777, Thunberg started his journey home, and spent six months in Ceylon en route. He records little about textiles or dyeing, but reports how coconut fiber was used to produce a fabric called coir, and notes about the fine quality of cotton from India.
Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828) spent nine years in the field in Europe, South Africa, Japan, Batavia (also called Java), and Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka). During this time he collected, named, and observed the thousands of plants he encountered. He was not as interested in textiles and related subjects as some of his fellow apostles, but his notes do include information and observations. As a student he had an opportunity to travel to France, where he visited the tapestry factory Les Gobelins, and commented on the fashions of the day.
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| Thunberg described Garcinia mangostana used to produce a black dye. Illustration from Selected Flowers, Fruit, and Foliage from the Island of Java, by Berthe Hoola van Nooten (1817-1892). Public domain in the United States. |
While in South Africa (1772-1775), he wrote about the local Hottentots, who used sheepskin and calfskin and other animal hides for their garments, typically decorated with shells instead of any plant or mineral dyes.
Thunberg left for Japan in 1775, and spent six months in Batavia en route to and from Japan. There he gathered information about the Javanese people, their clothing, and fabrics. Batavia was a thriving trade center for the Dutch East India Company, so he had the opportunity to learn about cotton, silk, linen, weaving, and resist dyeing, as well as some of the plants used for dyeing.
He cites Indigofera tinctoria as the most important commodity for the trading company; it was used to produce the highest quality blue dye. Garcinia mangostana was gathered in January when the rind turned deep purple, and used for dyeing black. Morinda citrifolia root produced red (similar to the common madder Rubia tinctoria, except dyeing with Morinda citrifolia could be done in lukewarm water). Many of the dye recipes and dye processes were passed from Indonesian mothers to their daughters and held in secret, so Thunberg could not provide many details.
Thunberg spent 15 months in Japan from 1775-1776. Although his movements were restricted and he was sequestered on the man-made island of Deshima, he earned trust and was able to interact freely with local Japanese doctors, take day trips to Nagasaki to collect plants for medicinal purposes, and travel to Yeddo (now Tokyo) to honor the Shogun Teharu. His notes report on dyeing yarn and fabrics in Japan, and plants used for dyeing. He also reports on shibori, the resist dyeing process that is unique to Japan.
People in the provinces used Rubia chordata for red dye (also related to the common madder root). For blue, people used "Polygonum Chinese, barbatum, and avuncular" which are similar to indigo. The leaves were dried, pounded, made into small cakes, and sold in shops. The cakes were mixed with ashes and boiled in water (the stronger the mix, the darker the blue), and used to dye linen, silk, and cotton. In his work, Flora Japonica, Thunberg later describes Serratula tinctoria, or saw-wort for yellow; Carthamus tinctoria or safflower for yellow silk; and Crocus sativus also for yellow.
In 1777, Thunberg started his journey home, and spent six months in Ceylon en route. He records little about textiles or dyeing, but reports how coconut fiber was used to produce a fabric called coir, and notes about the fine quality of cotton from India.
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