Shoulder Cloth (Selendang)

Although related in palette and design to the adjacent textiles, this piece was produced slightly later. The larger motifs arranged on the dotted ground of the field and in the borders are extremely stylized, a sign of departure from the artistic source. Birds easily spotted in the earlier shoulder cloth shown below (1926.22) are recognizable in this piece thanks only to the curving feathers of the wings. Also, the unusual end borders containing triangular projections (trumpal) are features associated with the sarongs, or tubular skirts, of the north coast workshops. Such cross influences were common in batik production during the first quarter of the 20th century.