Tea at Trianon: A Brief History of Chintz

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

A Brief History of Chintz

From Architectural Digest:

You’ve probably encountered the multicolored, lively cotton fabrics known as chintz at some point, and your response likely veered toward one of two very different feelings. The eye-catching East Asian textiles, which originated in India and were prized by Europe’s elite classes for centuries, continue to mesmerize and polarize the world today with their intense, floral designs.
For some, the term chintz conjures images of overtly feminine, grandmillennial interiors—explosions of busily patterned floral fabric overtaking bed covers, curtains, and walls. For others, chintz suggests a sophisticated, old-world nod to the intricacies of British living—a symbol of classic English country homes. But what, exactly, is chintz? There’s more to the celebrated fabric than meets the eye. Chintz is a cotton textile that emerged from India in the 16th century, featuring colorful, woodblock-printed, painted, glazed, or stained designs, typically on a pale or plain white cotton background. Celebrated for its vibrancy, intricacy, and resilience, traditional Indian chintz was used to make palampores—light, airy cotton bed coverings—tent panels, and other items featuring botanical or pastoral imagery (including still popular design motifs like the ubiquitous Tree of Life).
“Chintz, as we know it today, is a continuation of a story that began in the 17th century, when printed Indian textiles were first introduced to the West by Dutch and Portuguese traders,” says Sumitra Mattai, vice president of Kravet and design director for Lee Jofa and Brunschwig & Fils. “Broadly defined, chintz refers to a floral print that has been finished to give the surface of the fabric a polished sheen, often used for home furnishings. Chintz fabrics make fabulous drapery or upholstery, especially [on] accent furniture.”
“It’s a refined and elegant fabric, typically characterized by its smooth, glazed finish and intricate, often floral patterns,” says Jo Littlefair, cofounder and director of London interior design studio Goddard Littlefair. (Glazing refers to a polished sheen made either by pressing cotton through rollers or applying resin to create luster.) “It adds a touch of sophistication and classic charm to any space,” Littlefair adds. (Read more.)