THE CHINTZ COLLECTOR: Arna Sloan
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hintz: Derived from the Sanskrit word chint meaning “variegated, flecked or coloured,” chintz a pattern with a fascinating history in which economics, politics and fashion intertwine over a 400-year saga. Chintz got its start in India, where a Mughal emperor with a passion for flowers championed their use as a decorative motif in the 1600s. The patterned cloth gained an eager following in Europe after a group of powerful trading companies purchased loads of hand-painted chintz textiles and introduced them to the markets of England, France, Holland and Denmark. is
The brightly coloured floral patterns become so popular in fashion and home décor that the English and French governments banned the import of chintz out as a preventative (or protectionist) measure to save their local textile industries. However, loopholes prevailed. Chintz continued to find its way into France and England, and eventually the manufacturing process and patterns were reverse-engineered and adapted for domestic markets. With French and English textile industries producing their own chintz cloth, the trade ban was lifted by the 1750s. Of course, there can be too much of a good thing; widespread availability of the chintz pattern in an oversaturated market spurred new associations with the once-prized textile. Originally recorded in 1851 by George Eliot, the word “chintzy” became synonymous with things that were readily available or commonplace, further evolving into an association with being “cheap” or “gaudy.” It’s a long way from the rare value attached to chintz in the 17th century, but perhaps with enough time, changes in tastes and language will bring about its renaissance.
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