Mezzanin: Fascinated by Indonesia
Mezzanin: Fascinated by Indonesia
Sarong, Batik
Sarung, Batik
Standort
Mezzanin: Fascinated by Indonesia
A very old, well-preserved and interesting batik cloth with a semen pattern. The semen pattern shows the depiction of stylized bird wings, it can be one wing (lar) or a pair of wings (sawat). It depicts the wings of the bird of the gods Garuda from Hindu-Javanese mythology and a mount of the deity Vishnu. Semen motifs promise fertility, spirituality and wealth. Each pattern can be expanded with additional motifs, which are then given a new name and ascribed further auspicious meanings. In this case it is Semen Akrasana ('peacock with outstretched feather crown'). The kepala is decorated with tumpal (triangular pattern). In the area of the papan we see phoenixes and celuki (carnations). The top and bottom edges (booh) are decorated with the gondo wari motif. The blue indigo color is well preserved!
From the collection of Von Schmidt auf Altenstadt. He joined the military school in Semarang as a cadet in 1820. Here he was promoted to 2nd lieutenant in 1823 and in this rank took part in the suppression of the Diponegoro uprising. In 1829 he became 1st lieutenant and in 1832 adjutant to Governor-General Johannes van den Bosch. In 1833 he went to Kebumen in Bagelen as provisional assistant-resident and became resident of Bagelen on Java in 1842 and governor of Suriname in 1852. As he left Java in 1852, the fabric must have been purchased between 1820 and 1852, i.e. it is one of the oldest batik fabrics in the world!
Object data
8579
Sarong, Batik
Johann George Otto Stuart von Schmidt auf Altenstadt (1806 Sint-Oedenrode - 1857 Den Haag)
mid-19th century
1879
COtton, natural colours, hand batik