Chintz
Indian calico textile that shaped global fashion and trade.
Chintz is a type of calico fabric—either glazed or unglazed—that was originally made in the 15th century in Golconda, now part of Hyderabad, India. It was created using techniques like woodblock printing, painting, staining, or glazing. The cloth typically features floral and other colorful patterns printed on a light, solid background.
The word "chintz" comes from the Hindi term *chīṁṭ*, which means "spotted," "variegated," "speckled," or "sprayed." This Hindi word was once thought to derive from the Sanskrit *chitra* ("variegated"), but more recent linguistic work traces it to a non-Aryan source, *chitta*, meaning "spotted cloth." Since the 1800s, "chintz" has also referred to the floral design style that originated on these textiles but later appeared on items like pottery and wallpaper. These designs are rooted in Indian styles that themselves reflect Mughal art, with a white base and floral and animal prints being key features. Unglazed calico is traditionally called "cretonne." The word "calico" comes from the Indian city of Calicut (Kozhikkode in Malayalam), where the fabric was manufactured. In modern English, "chintz" and "chintzy" can describe clothing or furnishings considered vulgar, suburban, petit-bourgeois, or unfashionably florid, and informally, they refer to cheap, low-quality, or gaudy items, as well as mean or stingy behavior. The term "chintzy" is credited to novelist George Eliot, who in 1851 wrote to her sister about muslin fabric, saying, "The quality of the spotted one is best, but the effect is chintzy." This remark likely referred to cheap British imitations of genuine chintz, which became common at the time.
Chintz was originally a woodblock-printed, painted, or stained calico produced in Hyderabad, India, from 1600 to 1800, and it was popular for bed covers, quilts, and draperies. In the Deccan region, chintz-like painted patterns appear on the ceiling of the Chini ka Rauza (also known as the Chini Diddi mosque) in Bijapur. Its designs often borrowed visual elements from Persian, Chinese, and Turkish traditions. After Vasco da Gama reached Calicut, India, in 1498, the fabric became known in Europe. Around 1600, Portuguese and Dutch traders began bringing small amounts of Indian chintz into Europe, but English and French merchants later shipped large quantities.
- Origin
- Golconda (present day Hyderabad, India), 15th century
- Field
- Textile
- Known for
- Woodblock printed, painted, stained or glazed calico with floral and animal prints on a light background
- Etymology
- Hindi 'chīṁṭ' meaning 'spotted' or 'variegated'; possibly from non-Aryan 'chitta' meaning 'spotted cloth'
- Historical period of import
- 1600 to 1800
Lore & Background
Chintz was originally produced in Hyderabad, India from 1600 to 1800, used for bed covers, quilts, and draperies. In the Deccan region, chintz-like painted patterns appear on the ceiling of the Chini ka Rauza (also known as the Chini Diddi mosque) at Bijapur. Designs often borrowed visual elements from Persian, Chinese, and Turkish traditions. After Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498, the fabric became known in Europe. Around 1600, Portuguese and Dutch traders brought small quantities, but English and French merchants later sent large amounts. By 1680 more than a million pieces of chintz were imported into England annually, with similar quantities going to France and the Dutch Republic.
Reader's Guide
Chintz's significance lies in its role as a global commodity that sparked trade, imitation, and legislation. Its popularity in late 17th-century Europe led to import bans in France (1686), England (1720), and Spain (1717 and 1728), as domestic mills could not initially replicate the dyeing process. These bans created loopholes—such as the Court of Versailles being exempt—and spurred efforts to learn the technique. In 1734, French naval officer M. de Beaulieu sent samples and letters detailing the dyeing process from Pondicherry to a chemist friend; these are preserved in the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris. In 1742, Father Gaston-Laurent Coeurdoux supplied further details while in India. The ban was lifted in 1759, by which time French and English mills could produce chintz. European makers first reproduced Indian designs, then added original patterns, such as toile de Jouy from Jouy-en-Josas, France (1700–1843). The term 'chintz' later came to describe any industrially printed cotton. Modern chintz usually features bright floral patterns on light backgrounds, though some patterns use black backgrounds. The word 'chintzy' entered English to describe vulgar, cheap, or gaudy things, attributed to novelist George Eliot in 1851, who wrote about muslin fabric: 'The quality of the spotted one is best, but the effect is chintzy.'
Did You Know?
- The name 'chintz' derives from the Hindi word 'chīṁṭ', meaning 'spotted', 'variegated', 'speckled', or 'sprayed'.
- France banned all chintz imports in 1686, and England banned its use in apparel and furniture in 1720.
- The term 'chintzy' was first used by novelist George Eliot in 1851 to describe cheap British imitations of real chintz.
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