Title
Bed valance
Year/Period
1937
Region
Jakarta, Indonesia
Object Type
Material
Dimension
Object size: 68.2 x 220.3 cm
Accession No.
2021-00560
Collection of
This bed valance was used to decorate the bridal bed of Lim Gwat Nio (1915–2001), who married Tan In Hok (1892–1978) in Batavia (today Jakarta) in 1937. Tan In Hok was the last chairman of the Chinese Council (Kong Koan) of Batavia. Established in the early 18th century by the Dutch East India Company, the Chinese Council collected tax, provided free education for children from poor families, and managed cemeteries, among other functions.Valances, decorative draperies hung from a bed frame or above a window, are among the largest examples of nyonya needlework, which refers to embroidery and beadwork associated with Peranakan communities.
