Cloth that Changed the World

The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz

Sarah Fee, Sven Beckert

$72.95

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Yale University Press
11 February 2020

History of Art & Design Styles; Textile artworks; Exhibition catalogues & specific collections; Industrial: Commercial Art & Design; History of fashion

The story of India’s exuberantly colored textiles that made their mark on design, technology, and trade around the world

Chintz, a type of multicolored printed or painted cotton cloth, originated in India yet exerted influence far beyond its home shores: it became a driving force of the spice trade in the East Indies, and it attracted European merchants, who by the 17th century were importing millions of pieces. In the 18th century, Indian chintz became so coveted globally that Europeans attempted to imitate its uniquely vibrant dyes and design—a quest that eventually sparked the mechanical and business innovations that ushered in the Industrial Revolution, with its far-reaching societal impacts.

This beautifully illustrated book tells the fascinating and multidisciplinary stories of the widespread desire for Indian chintz over 1,000 years to its latest resurgence in modern fashion and home design. Based on the renowned Indian chintz collections held at the Royal Ontario Museum, the book showcases the genius of Indian chintz makers and the dazzling variety of works they have created for specialized markets: religious and court banners for India, monumental gilded wall hangings for elite homes in Europe and Thailand, luxury women’s dress for England, sacred hangings for ancestral ceremonies in Indonesia, and today’s runways of Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai.

Distributed for the Royal Ontario Museum

Exhibition Schedule:

Royal Ontario Museum

(April 4–September 27, 2020)

Preface by: Sven Beckert
Edited by: Sarah Fee
Imprint: Yale University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 305mm, Width: 229mm, Spine: 3mm
Weight: 2.013kg
ISBN: 9780300246797
ISBN 10: 030024679X
Pages: 312
Publication Date: 11 February 2020
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Sarah Fee is senior curator of Eastern Hemisphere fashion and textiles at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Reviews for Cloth that Changed the World: The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz

“Scholarly yet sumptuous”—Crafts Magazine “[A]n intriguing and fascinating narrative through centuries of trade, artistry, politics and culture drawn from the threads of this classic cloth”—Embroidery magazine “Cloth That Changed the World offers a beautiful catalogue of the Royal Ontario Museum’s exceptional collection alongside diverse, authoritative texts.”—Avalon Fotheringham, Journal of the Oriental Rug and Textile Society of Great Britain Shortlisted for the R. L. Shep Award, sponsored by The Textile Society of America