Interesting comments, Ganja, in respect of stylistic preferences between Jogjakarta and Surakarta.
The senior branch of the House of Mataram is Surakarta.
Now, as you have noted, the senior branch prefers a style which calls for renewal of outward appearance, whilst the junior branch of the House of Mataram calls for a style which preserves outward appearance.
In the case of Surakarta, this stylistic preference could be interpreted as a continuation of Hindu-Javanese tradition, as this tradition calls for constant renewal of outward appearance, as can be seen in Bali-Hindu style today.
For instance, the beautiful candis of Jawa that we now admire for their weathered stone, were, in the days when they were newly constructed and used, decorated in vibrant colours.Colours that were constantly renewed as they faded.
On the other hand, the preservation of things of a past time , as we see in Jogjakarta style, is more in tune with the Islamic faith, than with Jawa-Hindu. I am not saying here that Surakarta is aligned to Jawa-Hindu, rather than Islam, but I am saying that the Surakarta style reflects a part of Karaton inheritance and tradition that the founders of Jogjakarta omitted to take with them.
Similarly, some of the stylistic elements of a Jogjakarta keris are reflective of Mataram style, whilst some of the stylistic elements of the Surakarta keris are reflective of Majapahit style.
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