The glory of batik: the Danar Hadi Collection

Uittreksel

"This is a book about a fabulous collection of Javanese batik brought together over the course of forty years by H. Santosa Doellah. The Danar Hadi Collection, as it is known, amounts to some 10.000 pieces spanning a century and a half, from the mid-19th century to the present day. Possibly the largest single privately owned accumulation of Javanese batik in the world, it is housed in a palatial residence built for a prince of Surakarta in the late 19th century and located in the center of Solo, Central Java. Thus, this book reveals the story not only of batik itself, but also of the owner of this collection and of the palace which is one of the architectural gems adorning Solo city. Indonesian batik is regaining momentum in the 21st century, creating a new interest for the country's cutting-edge designers and sustained by the renewed awareness of the general public following UNESCO's inscription of batik as an intangible cultural heritage of humankind. A 'batik wave', if you will, or 'batik craze' has swept the country, propelling batik into the fashion radar once again, so that this ancient cloth, patterned through the use of wax to resist dye-coloring, has become iconic of Indonesia's national identity and evolved into a commercial power. Over the past two years, batik has reclaimed center stage in the national fashion world, albeit in new and modern form, ironically at a time when the invasion of international luxury brands is flooding the local market as never before. As the fourth generation of batik entrepreneurs and head of his own batik empire known as Batik Danar Hadi, H. Santosa Doellah has not only inherited the acumen of entrepreneurship, but has developed a deep respect and passionate love for the ancient tradition that runs in his family's veins. This is also true for his partner-wife, Danarsih, who has been involved in the batik trade since her college years and also grew up surrounded by the 'heady aroma of melting wax'. After spending years amassing this collection, tapping into sources as far away as auction houses in London and Amsterdam. Santosa and Danarsi finally decided to share their treasures with the wider public through an exquisite batik museum, which is arguably the most complete and professionally organized private batik museum in Indonesia. The Glory of Batik presents only a fraction of the Danar Hadi Collection, a mere 301 pieces of the estimated 10,000-piece collection. Carefully selected, they cover the period from the mid-19th century to approximately 1975, divided into major styles: those of the royal courts, that produced by merchants for the courts and the public, the antithetic but sometimes imitative batik produced on Java's north coast, and regional variations, and includes influences emanating from long-lasting contact with other cultures from all over the world. The story ends with a brief look at the kind of batik that developed in the cauldron of nationalistic feelings that followed the proclamation of independence in 1945. Of course, the account begins with the story of the Danar Hadi family itself and how the collection and the museum came into being. Lavishly illustrated with large, colorful photographs, in addition to black-and-white archival photographs from times past, and accompanied by extended captions, The Glory of Batik is an important resource for batik connoisseurs as well as a source of inspiration for creative people looking for ideas, just as the collection has inspired its creative owners, the Danar Hadi family. The material is well-presented by authors, Judi Achjadi, an authority on Indonesian textiles in general, and Helly Minarti, a scholar pursuing a doctoral degree in cultural studies in England."-- On front and back flap of dust jacket.

Inhoud

Preface by H. Santosa Doellah -- Danar Hadi -- The Collection -- Court Batik -- Sudagaran Batik -- Coastal Batik -- Regional Style -- Nationalizing Batik.