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Javanese, Java, possibly Yogyakarta

Sarong, 1800s

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Javanese

Title

Sarong

Year

1800s

Medium

Cotton; stamped (tjap) batik

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • cotton

Dimensions

Length: 101.6 cm (40 inches)

Place

Java, possibly Yogyakarta

Type

  • Textiles

Credit

Bequest of Isaac C. Bates

Object Number

13.107

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Zone of Attraction

June 26 - December 6, 2009

The center textile displayed here illustrates one of Indonesia's major dramas - the wayang or shaddow puppet theater. Wayang translates to shadow or spirit, and indeed both Hindus and Muslims used shaddow puppetry to spread their religion. Motifs rendered on the other batiks here also address worlds beyond the physical - rings and curving lines are symbolic of the cosmos, for example. The cross-like pattern or kawang references a cross-section of a palm fruit and the simplified lotus pattern on the smaller batik is based on repeating squares, rectangles, ovals, and stars, which reflect the Javanese belief in a structured universe, or a universal source of energy.

Tradition and Innovation

June 15 - October 7, 2001

Another traditional Central Javanese pattern is the ceploken, made up of quatrefoil medallions. Like the kain, this textile was probably made in the late 19th century, when patterns that had originally been reserved for the nobility were in common use throughout Java and were being exported to neighboring islands.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Sarong with the accession number of 13.107. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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