The design on this batik is closely aligned with European aesthetics, particulary the plain background and choice of pastel colours. Two large vases of flowers occupy the lower half of the batik which is separated from the top half by bow ribbons. Smaller vases of flowers and floral bunches embellish the top half. The batik maker’s skill is evident from the detailed colour gradations seen on the ribbons and leaves, as well as the intricate decoration of the vases. This batik is part of a large group donated to the museum by the descendants of three generations of female batik makers from Pekalongan. It was made by the mother of the donors, Jane Hendromartono, the last of the three generations. 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, in 1947. From 1965 her works were marketed as Hendromartono’s Batik Art “Unique”, using her husband’s new Indonesian family name. She rarely repeated designs, and her highly individualistic style and inventive use of colour made her batiks popular at home and abroad.
