1800s-early 1900s
Cotton: batik
Overall: 248.9 x 181.6 cm (98 x 71 1/2 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1925.488
Unlike the Chinese and sometimes European motifs of northern Javanese batiks, the motifs represented on the batiks of central Java are indigenous. However, due to the influence of Islam, they are represented in a very abstract, stylized fashion. In this batik, a celestial scene—probably signifying the ritual renewal of community life and prosperity—is repeated against a background of small filling motifs. The scene consists of a ship (represented as a divided bow and stern) bearing a Tree of Life, which signifies the community's passage to renewed life; on either side of the ship is a winged pavilion; and above is a sacred mountain, the abode of the gods, with a shrine.
The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.
To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.
All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.