Unlike the grand but rigid royal batik of Central Java with its symbolisation of power, batik pesisir ("coastal batik") is commercial, fashionable and used by the common folk on their daily lives. It has more variety in colours and motifs due to foreign influence brought in by foreign merchants.
Tok Wie/Altar 74 (1910) by UnknownMuseum Batik Indonesia
Due to strong foreign influence -especially the arrival of Islam in the 16th century- batik pesisir is characterised by its looser form of pattern and colour variety.
Kain Panjang 362 (2000) by UnknownMuseum Batik Indonesia
Traditional batik pesisir uses red and blue instead of the favoured brown of Yogya and Solo.
Kain Panjang 376 (2000) by UnknownMuseum Batik Indonesia
Kain Panjang-100 (1940) by UnknownMuseum Batik Indonesia
It has, among others, non figurative floral motif due to Islamic restrictions on figurative drawing.
Kain Panjang 140 (1930) by unknownGaleri Batik YBI
Unlike batik kraton (batik reserved for the royal family of Yogya and Solo, with strict guidelines for usage and social rank), batik pesisir is commercial.
Kain Panjang 363 (2000) by UnknownMuseum Batik Indonesia
Batik pesisir started to really progress around 19th century, when India, the main supplier of textile in Java at the time, experienced decline in production and people switched to batik cloth.
Kain Sarung 410 (2000) by UnknownMuseum Batik Indonesia
This type of batik was at its peak when more foreign merchants started to get involved in the batik industry, namely the Chinese and Indo-Dutch merchants.
Kain Panjang 429 (1950) by Kwe HuhuiGaleri Batik YBI
Kain Panjang-207 (1940) by UnknownMuseum Batik Indonesia
Kain Panjang 485 (2005) by UnknownGaleri Batik YBI
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