Palampore

From the early 16th century, control of the profitable Indian textile trade by the Portuguese, and later the Dutch and English merchants enabled them to purchase the Indonesian spices that were much sought after in Europe. Both Portuguese and Dutch traders used the Indian textiles, to trade and as gifts to rulers, on different islands of Indonesia in order to secure exclusive trade relationships. The most valued was a double ikat textile, known as patola. Members of the Javanese court wore patola textiles as daily wear; in many communities this textile was invested with magic and healing powers.

These foreigners gradually introduced to Indian workshops new patterns that would be acceptable to clients outside India. Through this process the textile designs of the Mughal period (1526–1756) were influenced by European taste. This is most evident in the printed and dyed cottons, such as those manufactured on the Coromandel coast of the Bay of Bengal.

These textiles were shipped in large quantities to Iran, Europe, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan. Indian cotton hangings known as palampore featured compositions that incorporated Chinoiserie-style rocks, fantastic flowers, birds and even Iranian cyprus trees.

Known as chintz in England, such cottons were used as bedspreads and wall hangings, and were kept safely in great country houses, many have survived to the present day. The same is true in Indonesia and Japan where Indian export textiles were highly regarded and stored with scrupulous care.