Shoulder or breast cloth (slendang or kemben)

Batik

Indonesian (Javanese)

Dutch colonial rule

19th century

Object Place: Surakarta (?), Java, Indonesia, Central

Medium/Technique Cotton, natural dyes; plain weave, hand-drawn (tulis) wax-resist (batik)

Dimensions 52.0 x 264.0 cm

Credit Line Gift of Mrs. Grafton D. Dorsey

Accession Number45.240

NOT ON VIEW

CollectionsAsia, Fashion and Textiles

ClassificationsCostumes

DescriptionLong, rectangular cotton batik shoulder (slendang) or breast (kemben) cloth with two design fields known as "morning-evening" (pagi-sore): One half has an overall design stylized flowers, animals and birds' wings (semen pattern) in dark blue and tan on a natural ecru ground; the other half has a repeating design of diagonal bands (parang) of interlocking circular motifs (kawung) in dark blue and tan on a natural ecru ground. There are narrow borders on each side of repeating geometric motifs and the center length of the cloth is left undyed.

ProvenanceGift of Mrs. Grafton D. Dorsey to the MFA on April 12, 1945