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Javanese, Java

Slendang (shoulder cloth or hip wrapper), early 1900s

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Javanese

Title

Slendang (shoulder cloth or hip wrapper)

Year

early 1900s

Medium

Cotton; stamped (tjap) batik

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • cotton

Dimensions

Length: 246.4 cm (97 inches)

Place

Java

Type

  • Textiles

Credit

Bequest of Martha B. Lisle

Object Number

67.456

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Zone of Attraction

June 26 - December 6, 2009

Symbols such as the broken or double sword (parang rusak) were once reserved for members of the Central Javanese nobility of the Mataram Court (1582-1755). The higher the rank of the individual the larger the motif could be. On the north coast of Java, where court culture had less influence, people of all levels of society wore the parang, thus shifting its cultural weight. Eventually, the potent symbol of power evolved into a fashionable statement, as here in the selendang in which the parang motif functions as a decorative element, alternating diagonals of dark and light, and perhaps a stylized arabesque, which was a symbol of Islam.

Tradition and Innovation

June 15 - October 7, 2001

One of the oldest designs in the batik tradition is the Parang rusak, seen in the middle of this textile. Originally reserved for use within the courts of Central Java, by the late 19th century it was also available to commoners. This slendang combines the traditional Central Javanese field pattern and colors with a floral border derived from the work of innovative North Coast batik artists.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in Copyright. This object is Slendang (shoulder cloth or hip wrapper) with the accession number of 67.456. 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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