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Cultural Context

design sampler

Iconographic Meaning

The sido-guri design features a sawat motif which represents the double wings and fanned tail of a bird. Many of the others are geometric floral designs given the general term tjeplok or tjeplokan.

Narrative

Names of batik designs on sampler from top left to bottom, in 8 rows of 3: gusti-putri, kartika, sekar-menur, sido-guri, kenga-sari, jantung hati, purbo-sari, kawung-rabu, sekar-mlati, markisah, sumber-lintang, lungkangkung, sekar-celung, sekar-kudup, blibar, kawung-brendi, sekar tanjung, ceplok-keci, glagah kurung, manggaran, banci kasut, and neblem.

Description

Batik sampler. Textile has 24 named floral and geometric designs in three horizontal rows of eight. Most designs are blocked out in diagonal sections, some in squares and a few others in alternating rows of elements, Many are geometric floral decorations. The designs are divided by black borders with a repeated brown and off-white triangle motif at the edges and a black and grown four-pointed flower-like motif in an off-white square.

History Of Use

Java is an important batik producing area. Although wax or paste resist dyeing is probably quite ancient on Java, the intricately detailed batiks on fine cotton cloth are relatively recent (16th century). The development of Javanese batiks is probably associated with a general flowering of the creative arts around the courts of the central princedoms of Surakarta and Jogjakarta. In Indonesia, textiles have great social and spiritual significance. They were exchanged and displayed in important ritual contexts. Traditional batik patterns and colour choices reflected local preferences and social distinctions. Local dyes could be distinguished and many patterns were restricted in use by rank, family and occasion. With the advent of the export trade, the relaxing of social restrictions, the introduction of chemical dyes and of batik manufacturing, many of these distinctions have disappeared.

Specific Techniques

The process of hand-drawn (tulis) resist-dyed batik cloth making is long and labour intensive, taking 30-50 days. Cloth preparation was traditionally done by men (this involves washing to remove sizing, re-sizing and other preparation for later dyeing); with women drawing the patterns from memory or with stencils, and then waxing both sides with special waxing tools (tjanting). The most intricate parts of the designs were often done by the most skilled women and major blocks of waxing left for novices. Marbling is caused by breaking of brittle wax, and may be deliberately done, especially for dye, by immersing in cold water. Men often do the dyeing, particularly the indigo stage which is a specialized trade. If several colours are used blue is dyed first. After dyeing all or part of the wax is removed, and the process is repeated for each colour. Although jogjakrta batiks are traditionally dark blue and brown on a clear white ground, such as those associated with Surakarta. The collector recorded that this piece was entirely hand-drawn, and dyed using traditional soga vegetable dye.