The History Of Batik
Art coloring coloring fabric with prevention techniques using the night is one of the ancient art form. The discovery in Egypt showed that this technique has been known since the 4th century BC, with the discovery mummy wrapping cloth which is also coated the night to form a pattern. In Asia, batik is also applied similar techniques in China during the T'ang Dynasty (618-907) as well as in India and Japan during the Nara Period (645-794). In Africa, such as the batik technique known by the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, as well as the Soninke and Wolof tribe in Senegal.
In Indonesia, batik is believed to have existed since the Majapahit era, and became very popular late eighteenth century or early nineteenth century. Produced batik batik is all up to the early twentieth century and the new batik known after World War I or sometime in the 1920s.
Although the word "batik" comes from the Javanese, the presence of batik in Java itself was not recorded. G.P. Rouffaer argue that the technique of batik was likely introduced from India or Sri Lanka in the 6th century or 7th.
On the other hand, J.L.A. Brandes (Dutch archaeologist) and F.A. Sutjipto (archaeologist Indonesia) believe that the tradition of batik is a native of the area such as Toraja, Flores, Halmahera and Papua. It should be noted that the region is not an area that is influenced by Hinduism but it is known to have the ancient tradition of making batik.
G.P. Rouffaer gringsing also reported that the pattern has been known since the 12th century in Kediri, East Java. He concluded that this pattern can only be formed by using a canting, so he argues that the canting is found in Java in the period surrounding it.
Detailed carvings that resemble batik cloth worn by the Prajnaparamita, goddess of wisdom Buddhist statues from East Java, the 13th century. Detailed patterns of clothing featuring vines and intricate flowers that are similar to traditional Javanese batik patterns that can be found now. This suggests that creating an intricate batik patterns that can only be made with a canting has been known in Java since the 13th century or even earlier.
Legend in Malay literature of the 17th century, Sulalatus Salatin told Admiral Hang Nadim ordered by Sultan Mahmud to sail to India to get 140 pieces of cloth with a pattern of 40 litter types of flowers on each page. Being unable to fulfill orders, he made himself the fabrics were. But unfortunately shipwrecked on the way home and only capable of carrying four pieces that make the emperor disappointed. By some commentators, who? litter was interpreted as batik.
In European literature, batik technique was first described in the book History of Java (London, 1817) writings of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. He had been a British Governor of Java during Napoleon occupied the Netherlands. In 1873 a Dutch merchant Van Rijekevorsel give a piece of batik, which is obtained during a visit to Indonesia to Ethnic Museum in Rotterdam and at the beginning of the 19th century it began to reach the golden age of batik. When exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900, Indonesian batik amaze the public and artists.
Since the industrialization and globalization, which introduces automation techniques, batik is a new type emerged, known as batik and printed batik, while that produced by traditional batik techniques handwriting using canting and night is called batik. At the same time immigrants from Indonesia to Malaya Fellowship also carries batik with them.
The Culture Of Batik
Batik is a craft that has high artistic value and has become part of the culture of Indonesia (particularly Java) since long. Javanese women in the past made their skills in batik for a living, so in the past batik work is exclusively women's work to finding "Batik Cap" which allows the entry of men into the field.
There are some exceptions to this phenomenon, namely the coastal batik has the masculine lines as can be seen in shades of "Mega Clouds", which in some coastal areas batik work is common for men.
The tradition of batik was originally a hereditary tradition, so sometimes a recognizable motif batik originated from a particular family. Some batik may indicate the status of a person. Even today, some batik motifs tadisional only used by the family palace of Yogyakarta and Surakarta.
Batik is an ancestral heritage of Indonesia (Java) which is still there. Batik is also first introduced to the world by President Suharto, who was then wearing batik at the UN Conference.
The Style Of Batik
Batik variety of shades and colors influenced by various foreign influences. Initially, batik has a variety of styles and colors are limited, and some patterns may only be used by certain circles. But batik coastal absorb various external influences, such as foreign traders and also in the end, the invaders. Bright colors such as red popularized by the Chinese, who also popularized the phoenix pattern. European colonial nations also took interest in batik, and the result is a style previously unknown flowers (like tulips) and also objects brought by the colonizers (buildings or train horses), including their favorite colors such as blue. Retain traditional batik s type, and is still used in traditional ceremonies, because usually each style has a representation of each.
