Deskripsi

the story of batik, that wonderful cloth fashioned by the twists of history, is a drama involving a great cast of characters, exotic places as well as turns of fate and fortune. the art of batik was practiced elsewhere in the world, but on the island of java the art became exquisitely refined. it became one of the “court arts” of the royal palaces of central java. batik has proved to be a very dynamic art. it has continually evolved over the centuries, absorbing technical enhancements and accommodating changing tastes. batik developed on two levels in java: one, as a “court art” in the palaces of java where it was an extension of a refined philosophy; and secondly as a “folk art,” principally in the northern coastal area where its technical and decorative potentials were thoroughly explored. by chance of history, this fine art developed into an industry. observing its evolution, indonesians often see the rhythms of our country’s rich past and present reflected in the fortune of batik. seeing the art in this perspective allows a fuller appreciation of how history has affected the designs and the meaning of the cloth itself.