The Outline of a Dress
Today I have been looking at some chintz fabric, originally made in India these printed cottons were designed for the European market and became popular in the 17th Century. So popular in fact that at one time they were banned to protect the British and French textile industries. They were hand painted or block printed onto cotton fabric in many designs showing flowers, birds and trees.
This beautiful example is from the Victoria and Albert Museum it is an over dress which has been altered to accommodate a later change of fashion from 1760-70.
Here is a chintz fabric designed to be used today printed onto linen for furnishings.
This is a painting which I made from a piece of historical chintz it is called The Pheasant and the Chrysanthemum
Another historical gown this one is also from the V&A, it is a sack and petticoat made in Switzerland and France in 1760 - 69, it has three different styles of print which accentuate the shape of the garment.
The Pheasant and Chrysanthemum copyright Frances Jill Studd 2026
