Indienne in Europe: How Indian Cottons Seduced Fashion and Gave Birth to the Genoese Mezzari
Updated: Sep 14
An exotic debut and a revolution in taste
Between the 17th and 19th centuries, painted or printed Indian cotton, known in Europe as indienne, sparked a profound transformation in taste and fashion. These fabrics, such as chintz (from the Indian word chint, meaning variegated or spotted) and calicoes (from Calicut, a city that became synonymous with printed cloth), were at first considered too "ordinary" and used only for bedspreads or to clothe the poorer classes. Yet they soon became the dress of ladies of rank. In 1708 Daniel Defoe wrote about the phenomenon, noting how chintz had moved from the floor to people's backs, from foot-cloths to petticoats.
The first samples reached Europe aboard ships carrying mainly spices. Their great appeal lay in the brilliance and fastness of their colours, something European dyeing techniques of the time could not achieve. Trade was based on barter: village chiefs in the Malay islands would not accept money, only lengths of cloth. Europeans therefore bought handwoven fabrics along the Indian coast to exchange for spices. Dutch and English trading posts specialising in printed cottons grew up in major centres such as Masulipatam, Madras and Pondicherry. English attempts to send British silks and woollens to India as trade goods failed, as there was little demand for heavy fabrics in India's hot, humid climate.
The palampore: a masterpiece of cultural fusion
The product that became the symbol of this exotic fashion was the palampore, a large cotton panel (palangpush in Hindi and Persian, meaning "bed cover") made exclusively for export.
Its dominant motif was the Tree of Life (or flowering tree): a single gnarled, sinuous trunk rising from a rocky mound, its branches covered with a multitude of flowers such as roses, carnations and chrysanthemums.
The composition of the palampore was the result of a complex artistic fusion:
Eastern influence: the Persian contribution is undeniable, and the use of the tree as a decorative motif belongs to Eastern tradition.
Western influence: studies have revealed the weight of European tradition. Patterns were sent from London to India to be copied as early as 1669. The lush flowering combined Indian elements with Western species, and the style recalled the greenery of Flemish verdure and millefleurs tapestries.
This fusion created a product so hybrid that it looked "exotic" to both European and Indian eyes.
Indian details and the adaptation of taste
Despite the European preference for imported patterns, Indian craftsmen showed remarkable creativity. The borders of some palampores depicted, with lively narrative freshness, different kinds of palm (borassus, banana, coconut, betel and date) and local wildlife such as mongooses and cobras.
The market, however, imposed its own rules. There were dissenting voices, such as an order letter that said: "Let the Indians work according to their own taste, since the results are better than any sample we can send from Europe." Even so, during the 18th century the borders of palampores gradually changed, replacing the undulating tendrils with a flowering garland interspersed with love knots, of strictly French inspiration.
Interestingly, Indian art was often denied in Europe: Sir Thomas Roe, English ambassador to India in 1615, complained that the "Indian rarities" actually came from China, identifying Eastern art exclusively with Chinese art. This confusion gave rise to chinoiserie, the Western practice of making goods in imitation of Eastern styles.
The exotic legacy in Italy: the birth of the Genoese mezzari
It is precisely in this phase of cross-pollination that the Italian chapter begins, with the creation of the mezzari of Genoa. These large hangings remained the preserve of the wealthiest aristocracy.
Their inspiration was undoubtedly the Indian palampore, with 18th-century Genoese craftsmen choosing the Tree of Life as their main source of inspiration. A recently rediscovered mezzaro from the Genoese workshop of Speich has a floral garland border entirely similar to that of late palampores.
The only palampores still in situ in Italy are at the Villa di Poggio Imperiale in Florence. Bought in Brussels between 1769 and 1771 on the orders of Peter Leopold of Habsburg-Lorraine, they were adapted to the walls of the villa and stripped of their original borders.
The rise of the palampores and the birth of the Genoese mezzari tell a fascinating story of trade, art and cultural adaptation in the early modern age.
Comments