The production of batik in eighteenth century Java

Because of the geographical location of the Indonesian island Java, it was soon exposed to the well-developed textile industry on the Indian subcontinent, leading to an extensive exchange of textiles. Java established a small scale indigenous resits dyeing industry, named batik. Over the centuries, batik developed to high artistic levels on Java and unlimited pattern variations were created. But, most of the circulating textiles in Java were imported from India. By the end of the seventeenth century, the demand for Indian textiles vanished, and the indigenous Javanese textile industry emerged fast. Some argue that the demand for Indian textiles at the end of the seventeenth century had decreased by the impoverishment of the Javanese after years of Dutch dominance. But, I argue that the Dutch had an important role in providing stimuli in the eighteenth century, which eventually led to the commercialisation and growth of the batik industry in the nineteenth century. With developments...Show moreBecause of the geographical location of the Indonesian island Java, it was soon exposed to the well-developed textile industry on the Indian subcontinent, leading to an extensive exchange of textiles. Java established a small scale indigenous resits dyeing industry, named batik. Over the centuries, batik developed to high artistic levels on Java and unlimited pattern variations were created. But, most of the circulating textiles in Java were imported from India. By the end of the seventeenth century, the demand for Indian textiles vanished, and the indigenous Javanese textile industry emerged fast. Some argue that the demand for Indian textiles at the end of the seventeenth century had decreased by the impoverishment of the Javanese after years of Dutch dominance. But, I argue that the Dutch had an important role in providing stimuli in the eighteenth century, which eventually led to the commercialisation and growth of the batik industry in the nineteenth century. With developments such as inventions as the cap and canting pen, available artificial dyes, Dutch stimulation of Chinese migration who participated in the textile industry and the Indo-European female entrepreneurs who started batik commercial centres as a reaction to the high global demand for batik, the fabric was able to evolve as we know it in current times.Show less

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The production of batik in eighteenth century Java