The women on this carefully staged photograph are applying molten wax on cloth. This sophisticated ancient technique, known as batik, is still practiced in Indonesia. Once these women finish, the cloth will be soaked in dye. The areas covered with wax will be spared. This is how the characteristic pattern associated with batik is obtained.

This photograph was taken a century ago by Kassian Céphas, on the island of Java. It is on display in the Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam.