Unknown artist, Indonesian; Javanese

While the butterfly serves as an auspicious sign in many cultures, it is equally revered for its decorative qualities. In this stunning example from Java, the butterfly
flits amongst floral sprigs on either side of the decorative kepala panel. This style of batik, known as tulis, is drawn freehand using a tool with a metal cup (canting) that holds the molten wax with which the resist pattern is created. After each layer of design is applied, the textile is submerged in dye vats, with the waxed areas of pattern resisting the dye, giving the process its name. The tulis freehand drawing is utilized to maximum advantage in this sarong, in which the intricate nuances of each scale of the butterfly wing are rendered with the utmost variety and detail.