Den Bosch

Visiting Pekalongan. No question about it: this town is the world’s main batik centre. Even if other towns and cities, for example Yogya and Solo, have a larger production, only Pekalongan declares its dedication to batik with enormous signs like these on the most prominent square.

Batik is an old technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this technique. Batik is made either by drawing dots and/or lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a canting or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap. The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows the artisan to color selectively by soaking the cloth in one color, removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colors are desired.
A tradition of making batik is found in various countries, including Nigeria, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Sri Lanka; the batik of Indonesia, however, is the most well-known. Indonesian batik made in the island of Java has a long history of acculturation, with diverse patterns influenced by a variety of cultures, and is the most developed in terms of pattern, technique, and the quality of workmanship. On October 2009, UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
The word batik is Javanese in origin. It may either come from the Javanese word amba (to write) and titik (dot), or may derive from a hypothetical Proto-Austronesian root beCík (to tattoo). The word is first recorded in English in the Encyclopædia Britannica of 1880, in which it is spelled battik. It is attested in the Indonesian archipelago during the Dutch colonial period in various forms: mbatek, mbatik, batek and batik.
The art of batik is most highly developed in the island of Java in Indonesia. In Java, all the materials for the process are readily available — cotton and beeswax and plants from which different vegetable dyes are made. Indonesian batik predates written records: G. P. Rouffaer argues that the technique might have been introduced during the 6th or 7th century from India or Sri Lanka. On the other hand, the Dutch archaeologist J.L.A. Brandes and the Indonesian archaeologist F.A. Sutjipto believe Indonesian batik is a native tradition, since regions such as Toraja, Flores, Halmahera, and Papua, which were not directly influenced by Hinduism, have an age-old tradition of batik making. Source: Wikipedia.

The technique. Firstly, a cloth is washed, soaked and beaten with a large mallet. Patterns are drawn with pencil and later redrawn using hot wax, usually made from a mixture of paraffin or bees wax, sometimes mixed with plant resins, which functions as a dye-resist. The wax can be applied with a variety of tools. A pen-like instrument called a canting is made from a small copper reservoir with a spout on a wooden handle. The reservoir holds the resist which flows through the spout, creating dots and lines as it moves. For larger patterns, a stiff brush may be used. Alternatively, a copper block stamp called a cap is used to cover large areas more efficiently. After the cloth is dry, the resist is removed by scraping or boiling the cloth. The areas treated with resist keep their original color; when the resist is removed the contrast between the dyed and undyed areas forms the pattern. This process is repeated as many times as the number of colors desired.X
The most traditional type of batik, called batik tulis (written batik), is drawn using only the canting. The cloth needs to be drawn on both sides and dipped in a dye bath three to four times. The whole process may take up to a year; it yields considerably finer patterns than stamped batik.X
Many Indonesian batik patterns are symbolic. Infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring the child luck, and certain batik designs are reserved for brides and bridegrooms, as well as their families. Some designs are reserved for royalties, and even banned to be worn by commoners. Consequently, a person's rank could be determined by the pattern of the batik he or she wore.X
Batik garments play a central role in certain Javanese rituals, such as the ceremonial casting of royal batik into a volcano. Batik is also prominent in the ‘tedak siten’ ceremony when a child touches the earth for the first time. Source: Wikipedia.

The popularity of batik in Indonesia has varied. Historically, it was essential for ceremonial costumes and it was worn as part of a kebaya dress, commonly worn every day. The use of batik was already recorded in the 12th century, and the textile has become a strong source of identity for Indonesians crossing religious, racial and cultural boundaries.
The batik industry of Java flourished from the late 1800s to early 1900s, but declined during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia. It further declined after the Indonesian independence, as people chose western clothes, decimating the batik industry. However, batik has somewhat revived at the turn of the 21st century, through the efforts of Indonesian fashion designers to innovate batik by incorporating new colors, fabrics, and patterns. Batik has become a fashion item for many Indonesians, and may be seen on shirts, dresses, or scarves for casual wear; it is a preferred replacement for jacket-and-tie at certain receptions.
After the UNESCO recognition for Indonesian batik on 2 October 2009, the Indonesian administration asked Indonesians to wear batik on Fridays, and wearing batik every Friday has been encouraged in government offices and private companies ever since 2 October is celebrated as National Batik Day in Indonesia. Batik had helped improve the small business local economy, batik sales in Indonesia had reached Rp 3.9 trillion (US$436.8 million) in 2010, an increase from Rp 2.5 trillion in 2006. The value of batik exports, meanwhile, increased from $14.3 million in 2006 to $22.3 million in 2010. Source: Wikipedia.

In the garden of the former townhall, with one of the staff members of the museum.

‘Bloemen van het heelal – De kleurrijke wereld van de textiel op Java’; Written by Alit Veldhuizen-Djajasoebrata; published by A.W. Sijthoff’s Uitgeversmaatschappij bv, Amsterdam, in cooperation with the Museum voor Land- en Volkenkunde Rotterdam; 1984; ISBN: 90 218 2685 2.

‘The glory of batik – The Danar Hadi Collection; written by Judi Achjadi; edited by Judi Achjadi and Joop Avé; published by Bab Publishing Indonesia; Jakarta; 2010; ISBN: 978-602-98697-0-5.

‘The 20th Century Batik Masterpieces’; written by Tumbu Ramelan, Wisjnuwati Mashadi, Afif Syakur, Melita Rahmalia; edited by Rizal Pahlevi and Rangga Pradana; produced by Alimoen Hakim and Iwan Kuswanto; published by KR Communications. ISBN: 978-602-96764-0-2.

After permission of several batik producers more pictures will follow.

The courtyard of the townhall.

The post office.