This pink-and-aqua batik kain panjang (skirtcloth) features the pagi-sore (morning-afternoon) format, where two different patterns and colours are divided by a diagonal or straight line at the center. The wearer could choose which side of the design to be visible, according to the time of day and occasion.The batik is signed “The Tie Siet Pekalongan” by the famed Peranakan Pekalongan-based batik-maker. This piece illustrates his characteristic use of bold colours and floral bouquets (peonies and chrysanthemums on each side respectively), with birds and butterflies flying around them. Peonies are associated with female beauty, and chrysanthemums are associated with longevity and nobility. Peranakan ladies favoured batik skirtcloths made mostly by Chinese and Eurasian batik-makers on the northern coast of Java in towns such as Cirebon, Lasem and Pekalongan.
