Flower and plant variants as abstraction in Javanese batik motifs from classical to contemporary era

Abstract

Batik is one of the artworks of old Javanese society which has continued to exist and develop until the present day. In the 18th century, batik was a special type of clothing worn by the nobility, and there were even prohibitions for using batik clothing with certain types of motifs. Its basic substance is the ornamental images made on the fabric. A piece of cloth can change its position and value only because of a difference in decoration. As a visual aesthetic, batik is the work of Javanese artists, created by abstracting the surrounding natural environment, especially various flora, and fauna. Up to 1912, there were more than 100 names of flowers, leaves, and plants that were abstracted to become classical motifs. In the contemporary era, where batik has become more acceptable as clothing for the public, flora-based motifs are no longer the result of abstraction of particular flowers or plants but are considered more for their ornamental aesthetic. The aesthetic value of contemporary batik motifs is no longer determined by the type of flowers or plants abstracted, but by how they are represented for the beauty of clothing.