Indonesian batik has a unique history spanning back 700 years, with two different techniques used to create these designs. The first was hand-drawn which is speculated to have only been used for royalty (Shaharuddin etc al, 2021). The second type was the stamp technique created in the 1840s that allowed for greater production of batik. With the turn of the 20th century came a transition from traditional dyes to chemical dyes that better penetrated the fabric allowing for a speedier dyeing process which in turn created a boom in the Indonesian batik industry.
Indonesian batik has been used for many years as a way to tell stories about different rulers and history. For many of the designs they resonate with spiritual meaning, social status, religion, and regional culture to name a few (Rogers 2021).
Batik keraton as pictured on the left, is one of the oldest batik traditions worn only by the royal courts. This motif uses earthly hues of black, brown, and dark yellow to symbolize power. |