Before chintz became a European obsession, it was being made along India’s Coromandel Coast. Centuries later, the cotton textile is preparing for a major showcase at London’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, which will open an exhibition named after the fabric in September 2027, tracing its 400-year history and global influence.
Indian chintz was made through intricate processes of painting, printing and dyeing cotton, with craftsmen using mordants and natural dyes to create colours that could withstand washing and fading. Elaborate floral compositions and Tree of Life designs became especially popular in European markets, where the textiles were prized for their vivid colours, intricate patterns and durability.
By the late 17th century, Indian cottons were flooding European markets. Chintz was particularly coveted, as European manufacturers struggled to reproduce the techniques that gave Indian textiles their distinctive colour and finish. Its popularity became such a threat to domestic textile industries that Britain introduced legislation restricting Indian printed cottons. The 1700 Calico Act prohibited the use of imported printed calicoes in England, while legislation in 1721 tightened restrictions on their use. European manufacturers subsequently developed their own versions, often referred to as indiennes.
The history becomes more complicated when viewed through Britain’s later colonial rule in India. Indian textiles had already become highly desirable in Europe before British colonial rule, but the trade eventually became deeply entangled with Britain’s economic interests in India and the rise of its own cotton industry.
There is a certain irony, then, in seeing chintz celebrated in London centuries after Britain tried to curb its popularity. The exhibition will trace chintz back to its Indian origins, bringing together pieces from the V&A’s collection with textiles from Karun Thakar’s collection of Indian printed and painted cottons.
And perhaps it is better late than never. After centuries of Indian textiles travelling across the world, being copied and absorbed into other design histories, having a major London museum trace chintz back to where it began feels like a small but significant correction. At the very least, the textile and its history are finally getting their due.
Email: anoushkakundu@newindianexpress.com
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.