Batik: Definition and History

It may be said that batik is an art form which developed in Java (Indonesia), specifically Central Java. This statement pertains to the method of batiking; the ornamentation itself developed as a harmonisation of various influences exerted by other cultures.
So, what is batik?


Definition of Batik
Batik is a drawing or a painting or a form of writing on cotton cloth, applied with the aid of tool called canting. Drawing or painting or writing onto the cotton cloth by an artist or artisan is termed membatik, or in English, batiking. Batiking produces batik in the form of various motifs which have specific characteristics which are passed onto the batik cloth.
Through further development, other tools have come into the existence facilitating the batik process, for example the chap or printing block. Such block-printing produces motifs identical to batik, but the resultant fabric are, in reality, no longer batik. The quality of the blocked ornamentation which forms a cloth decorated with batik-like motifs can't possibly be compared to that of a true batik. Nevertheless, today both are called batik by the public at large. To differentiate between the two, the designations "written" batik (i.e-hand painted) and "blocked" batik are used.
Parallel to tdevelopments in modern technology, the method of batiking has been streamlined. The new technique produces a cloth ornamneted like batik. However, since the product is no longer batik, it is more appropriate to call it batik-motifed cloth.
Finally, artists are incorporating batik ornamentation and batikng in their work. The results are called batik paintings.

History of Batik 
It would be impossible to visit or live in Indonesia and not be exposed to one of the country's most highly developed art forms, batik. On your first visit to a batik store or factory you will undoubtedly experience an overwhelming stimulation of the senses - due to the many colors, patterns and the actual smell of batik. Only through repeated visits and a bit of study will the types of designs and their origins become apparent.
The word batik is thought to be derived from the word 'ambatik' which translated means 'a cloth with little dots'. The suffix 'tik' means little dot, drop, point or to make dots. Batik may also originate from the Javanese word 'tritik' which describes a resist process for dying where the patterns are reserved on the textiles by tying and sewing areas prior to dying, similar to tie dye techniques. Another Javanese phase for the mystical experience of making batik is “mbatik manah” which means “drawing a batik design on the heart”.
Although experts disagree as to the precise origins of batik, samples of dye resistance patterns on cloth can be traced back 1,500 years ago to Egypt and the Middle East. Samples have also been found in Turkey, India, China, Japan and West Africa from past centuries. Although in these countries people were using the technique of dye resisting decoration, within the textile realm, none have developed batik to its present day art form as the highly developed intricate batik found on the island of Java in Indonesia.
Although there is mention of 'fabrics highly decorated' in Dutch transcripts from the 17th century, most scholars believe that the intricate Javanese batik designs would only have been possible after the importation of finely woven imported cloth, which was first imported to Indonesia from India around the 1800s and afterwards from Europe beginning in 1815. Textile patterns can be seen on stone statues that are carved on the walls of ancient Javanese temples such as Prambanan (AD 800), however there is no conclusive evidence that the cloth is batik. It could possibly be a pattern that was produced with weaving techniques and not dying. What is clear is that in the 19th century batik became highly developed and was well ingrained in Javanese cultural life.
Some experts feel that batik was originally reserved as an art form for Javanese royalty. Certainly it's royal nature was clear as certain patterns were reserved to be worn only by royalty from the Sultan's palace. Princesses and noble women may have provided the inspiration for the highly refined design sense evident in traditional patterns. It is highly unlikely though that they would be involved in any more than the first wax application. Most likely, the messy work of dyeing and subsequent waxings was left to court artisans who would work under their supervision.
Javanese royalty were known to be great patrons of the arts and provided the support necessary to develop many art forms, such as silver ornamentation, wayang kulit (leather puppets) and gamelan orchestras. In some cases the art forms overlap. The Javanese dalang (puppeteer) not only was responsible for the wayang puppets but was also an important source of batik patterns. Wayang puppets are usually made of goat skin, which is then perforated and painted to create the illusion of clothing on the puppet. Used puppets were often sold to eager ladies who used the puppets as guides for their batik patterns. They would blow charcoal through the holes that define the patterns of clothing on the puppets, in order to copy the intricate designs onto the cloth.
Other scholars disagree that batik was only reserved as an art form for royalty, as they also feel its use was prevalent with the rakyat, the people. It was regarded an important part of a young ladies accomplishment that she be capable of handling a canting (the pen-like instrument used to apply wax to the cloth) with a reasonable amount of skill, certainly as important as cookery and other housewifery arts to Central Javanese women.
Batik has been both an art and a craft for centuries. In Java, Indonesia, batik is part of an ancient tradition, and some of the finest batik cloth in the world is still made there. Depending on the quality of the art work, dyes, and fabric, the finest batik tulis halus cloth can fetch several thousand dollars, reflecting the fact that it probably took several months to make. The Lawrence and Kauman areas in Surakarta, Indonesia are famous for fine batiks.
Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles. For example, the artist may use etching, discharge dyeing, stencils, different tools for waxing and dyeing, wax recipes with different resist values and work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper or even wood and ceramics.
Batik has found worldwide popularity. Nelson Mandela wore a batik shirt on formal occasions, but the South Africans call it a Madiba shirt. The Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza wore an Indonesian kebaya and batik on her wedding day. The late mother of United States president Barrack Obama, Ann Dunham was an avid collector of Batik. In 2009, an exhibition of Dunham's textile batik art collection (A Lady Found a Culture in its Cloth: Barack Obama's Mother and Indonesian Batiks) toured six museums in the United States, finishing the tour at the Textile Museum^.
In Indonesia, batik popularity has its up and downs. Historically it was worn as part of a kebaya dress, which was widely used everyday. It waned during the 1960s till 1990s, because more and more women wore western clothes instead. Although its use where heavily incorporated in formal occasions especially in the Javanese royal occasions, the batik continued to wane in everyday lives. It reached a new revival in the 2000s with the effort of the Indonesian fashion designers, to revive batik and the kebaya altogether, they incorporate new colors, fabrics and patterns. Batik has become part of a fashion for young people in Indonesia, for casual wear it is normally worn as a shirt,dress or scarf. For a formal occasion, women normally wears it as part of a kebaya.

A traditional Batik Art has been known a few centuries ago in Java Island. If we search the improvement of batik in java, it can’t be separated from the improvement of batik art in Central Java, Yogya batik is a part of the batik art development in Central Java which had got the combinations of some motives from other places.
The course of “Yogya Batik” cannot be separated from Giyanti Treaty in 1755. Soon after Mataram Kingdom was devided into two parts, and Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat was established, Mataram clothes were removed from Surakarta to Ngayogyakarta, so Sri Susuhunan Pakubuwono II ( The Previous King of Yogya) designed a new costume which was different from Surakarta traditional costume.
In Giyanti Village, the conference was held. Among the results were the area of Mataram was devided into two, one area was under the authority of Sri Paduka Susuhunan PB II in Surakarta Hadiningrat, another area was under the authority of Kanjeng Pangeran Mangkubumi who was after inaugurated as a king having a title Ngersa Dalem Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Kanjeng Sultan Hamengkubuwono Senopati ing Ngalaga Ngabdul Rachman Sayidin Panatagama Kalifatullah ingkang jumeneng kaping I, whose palace was then named Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.
All the heirlooms and palace properties were also devided into two parts. Mataram costume was brought to Yogyakarta , as Kanjeng Pangeran Mangkubumi wanted to maintain it. Therefore, Surakarta which was under the authority of Sri Paduka Susuhunan PB III designed a new costume and managed to make the traditional costume of Surakarta Kingdom as we can see up to now.

The characteristics of Yogyakarta style, there are two kinds of background or cloth basic colour. White and Black. Meanwhile the colour of batik can be white (mori cloth colour), dark blue blackish and dark brown.
“Sered” or the edge of cloth, white, was exerted not to mixed or soga enters sered, both for the cloth with white or black background.
The decoration, first: Geometry: stripe aslant line, crossing line or ceplok and kawung, anyaman and limaran as well.
The second decoration style : Non-Geometry : semen, lung-lungan and boketan.
The decoration style which is symbolic relates closely with Hindu-Java philosophy (Mrs. Nian S Jumena) among others are : Sawat symbolizes a crown or high powerful man, Meru symbolizes a mountain or earth, Dragon symbolizes water, Bird symbolizes wind or upper world, Fire tongue symbolizes fire.

Since the first time there had been prohibition cloth. Each Sultan who had reigned deserved to make the new rules or prohibition.

The last, Sri Paduka Sultan HB VIII made the new rule (revision) entitled Pranatan dalem bab pengangge keprabon ing Nagari Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat ( The King’s Rule of Royal Clothes in Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace), which was published in Rijksblad van Djokjakarta No. 19, in 1927. Pengangge Keprabon (Royal Costume) are cap or kuluk (wangkidan), dodot/kampuh and bebet prajurit (soldier wraparound cloth worn by man), bebet nyamping ( long cloth), trousers, and glisire (cindhe trousers,velvet,silk,catoon, and its slide),songsong or umbrella.
The prohibited batik motives : parang rusak (parang rusak barong, parang rusak gendreh < 8 cm, parang rusak klitik < 4 cm), semen ageng sawat grudha (gurdha), semen ageng sawat lar, udan riris, rujak senthe, parang-parangan which is not parang rusak ; how big it is depends on parang rusak size. All the Sultan’s (King’s) sons are allowed to wear those kinds of batik cloth. The queen’s batik costume is allowed to be the same with The Sultan (King). The other wives are allowed to wear parang rusak gendreh and others down. The first wife of KG Pangeran Adipati is the same with her husband. The other wives are allowed to wear parang rusak gendreh and others down. Also for KG Pangeran Adipati’s sons, their wives are the same with their husband ; and the previous prince (Pangeran Putra Sentana Panjenengan dalem Nata). Wayah Dalem (the King’s grand children) wear parang rusak gendreh and down, also for the King’s great grand children and the grand children’s children. The great grand children’s children (boys and girls) and down are allowed to wear batik parang-parangan which should have motive, prohibited to wear blank motive. Pepatih Dalem ( The Vice King) is allowed to wear parang rusak barong and others down. The Assistants : Pengulu Hakim (Judge), Wedana Ageng Prajurit (Soldiers), Bupati Nayaka jawi lan lebet (Outside and Inside Regents) are allowed to wear parang rusak gendreh and others down. Bupati Patih Kadipaten lan Bupati Polisi ( Vice Regents and Police Chief) are the same with the Assistants mentioned above. Penghulu Landrad ( Landrad Village Chief), Wedana Keparak para Gusti (Nyai Riya) or the village chief’s assistant, Bupati Anom (Junior Regent), Riya Bupati Anom (Junior Regent’s Assistant) parang rusak gendreh and others down. The servants and assistants whose positions are under Junior Regent’s Assistant and those who are not Junior Regent, those whose positions are Village Chief’s Senior Assisants also wear parang rusak gendreh and others down.