History Of Batik

The origins of batik may be disputed but it is Indonesians, especially in Java, who are known to have taken the techniques to imaginative lengths to produce a unique art form. 'Batik' as a written word dates back to sources from the early seventeenth century, occurring for the first time in Dutch records. The word'batik' is thought to come from the javanese word 'ambatik' derived from 'tik', which means to mark with a drop or spot. It was also the javanese who developed the canting - originally spelt 'tjanting' - as a tool: unique to java, and again probably dating back to the early seventeenth century, this tool gave an astonishing precision to the detailed motifs. Altough the Javanese style was influenced and enriched by the decorations and symbolism of many cultures, the canting offered the possibility of dense patterning, of painstakingly drawing in wax thousands of dots and fine lines.

Traditionally, batik used to knees supported in front by a cross-bar frame. Cracking or marbling, which we think of as batik's distinctive look, was regarded as a sign of poor workmanship. The wax was removed by boiling after each dyeing and reworked and re-dyed for every colour: this method meant that the wax did not build up in layers, and resulted in minimal cracking.