Size: x x x in (x x x cm)
Provenance: Solo, Java, Indonesia; 1980's.
Method: tulis batik on cotton
Description: This batik cloth is a more recent cloth, but with tulis work. It is traditional to the designs of Surakarta, now called Solo. During the Dutch colonial period this was one of two principalities or sultanates with all the court traditions and customs. The Batik of the region reflected this in its colors and special rules governing the wearing of Batiks. (N.S. Joemana, 1990). The motifs here reflect a Hindu-Javanese background and are traditionally Sogan bown, indigo blue (black) and cream. The Lasem style triangular designs, or tumpal, at the end make it a more formal batik .
This cloth is hand-drawn batik, also known as batik tulis. Tulis means to write or draw. The pattern is first drawn by wax, with a device called a canting, a Javanese invention. It is a small copper vessel attached to a pen-shaped bamboo stick. The melted wax empties out into its bent nozzle. When the vessel is empty, the line is broken, and the vessel has to be refilled. It is a highly skilled job, traditionally carried out by women. Canting work is tedious and considered the most desirable and most expensive. (Murni, 2006)
Use: A kain is considered more formal than a sarong and is worn by a woman wrapped left over right, sometimes with a pleat in the front. In the past the ritual, occasion or social status determined the type of batik that was worn.
Condition: Excellent.
