Object size: 107.6 x 258.0 cm
This kain panjang (skirt cloth) is in the pagi sore (morning and evening) format, with both sides decorated with floral motifs with butterflies. One side features calla lilies, while the other features sweet peas. It is signed “Liem Siok Hien, Kudus”, indicating that it was designed in the Kudus style, although the maker lived and worked in Pekalongan. Kudus batiks typically have ochre backgrounds and meticulously rendered designs, including complicated background patterns.Jane Hendromartono came from a family of batik makers in Pekalongan. She used many names in her lifetime. Her first batiks were created under her mother’s name, Nyonya Oeij Kok Sing (1895–1966). She began using her husband’s name, Liem Siok Hien, after her marriage in 1947. From around 1967 her works were marketed as Hendromartono’s Batik Art “Unique”, using her husband’s new Indonesian family name. Her art over five decades shows a remarkable range of styles, as she adapted to market forces while advancing new forms of creative expression.
