This hand drawn batik depicts a historic football match that occurred between the Dutch East Indies and Japan on 13 May 1934 in Manila, during the Far Eastern Championship Games. Flying above the goalposts are the Japanese flag on the right and the Dutch East Indies flag to the left. The Dutch East Indies won the game with a score of 7-1. The batik was probably commissioned around the same period to commemorate the Dutch East Indies’ victory. Souvenir batik hangings like this often include detailed visual narratives as they were intended as keepsake and mementos for residents to take home with them. In the early 1900s, Jogjakarta and Solo were one of the largest producers of souvenir batiks. The use of indigo and soga dyes in this instance further allude to its central Javanese origin.
