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The Cepuk is considered the most important of the Balinese devotional textiles and every temple in Bali must have one. Inspired by Patola cloth distributed by Indian traders in historical times the sacred Cepuk is considered to have magical protective and medicinal properties. Sometimes it is folded and placed under the offerings, it could also be given to a mentally unstable individual to wear during a ceremony. Regardless of whether you can spot the textile in use, it will always be present. This is a collection of three Cepuk textiles from different periods and areas within the Balinese Kingdom that demonstrate the regional variations within the domain they represent.
High-resolution images and pricing are available upon request
Cepuk Kangarasem Bali
32" X 50.5"
139 grams
Early 20th C
Subtle design and color variations mark the differences between the Kangarasem and Nusa Penida Cepuks.
Cepuk Nusa Penida
Early 20th C
The pinacle of artistic achievement of this type are the cepuk produced on the island of Nusa Penida prior to WW2. These are the cloths considered to have the greatest power.
Creating the Cepuk had to conform to very strict protocols with dying and weaving restricted to specific times and auspicious days. Women were not permitted to weave during their menstrual cycle. Blessings and ceremonies had to be conducted during the course of production, for both weaver and materials. Weaving was conducted during a trance state.
Cepuk Lombok
Handspun indigenous cotton
29.75" X 46"
124 grams
aniline dyes
Mataram - Lombok Island
Mid 20th C
Through an alliance with the Dutch the influence of the last great Balinese Kingdom extended to the western shores of the neighbouring island of Lombok.
A humble cousin of the great cepuks, this is an honest village textile made to fulfill a need using available materials and conforming to design protocols for the type.
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