Jepara itself is the name of a region in Central Java, Indonesia which is the center of the Jepara craftsmen. Currently, nearly 80 percent of residents of Jepara still pursue carving activities that is believed to have been there since the time of Majapahit (A big Hindu Kingdom in Indonesia) in the 13th century. Jepara carving continues to grow, both in the design, function, and aesthetics.
If you are an art lover and love beauty, the uniqueness of Jepara carving art may be one of your admirations. Jepara carving art is the best in Indonesia and becomes one of the leading export commodities of Indonesia. Jepara carving applied in furniture provides value added so that most Indonesian furniture can compete, and even is more superior than those made by other countries such as Vietnam.
Therefore, to meet the demand for such a large community inside and outside Indonesia, today the craftsmen begin creating three types of quality of Jepara carving art, usually called Class I, II, and III. This is done so that Jepara carving can be more popular in the community and can be purchased by various status of economic level of society. Nevertheless, for high quality carving wood, today the craftsmen of Jepara still use teak wood for the best result.
Among the current competition of export commodities, Jepara carving still exist because of their uniqueness. There is no similarity between the Jepara carving products. Because it is the art of man made or not done with modern machinery, Jepara carving art might be similar but never be same or identical. Thus, owning Jepara carving furniture and handicraft means collecting high value and aesthetic artwork.
source : http://goodnewsfromindonesia.org
