By Lena Sharp
East-West Tapestry: Cultural Connections Across ContinentsFrom pepper sprinklers to cotton sundresses to the quintessential cup of tea: these are just some of the enduring influences of the exotic East on British culture shaped by the exploits of the English East India Company.
East India House - headquarters of the EIC. By Thomas Malton the Younger (1748-1804) Courtesy of the Paul Mellon Collection, Yale Centre for British Art, Yale University
Established by royal charter under Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1600, the English East India Company (EIC) rose to become the world’s first and largest multinational corporation through its overseas trade ventures. The company’s goal from the outset was to capitalise on the lucrative trade routes that had already been established by the Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese in the ‘far-flung reaches’ of India, China and Indonesia for over a century. Like its competitors, the EIC was not exempt from the bribery and corruption that was rife at the time, which ultimately contributed to the collapse of a once great empire.
Sale Room of East India House by Thomas Rowlandson & Augustus Pugin, c. 1809 (source: Wikipedia)
The two short centuries in which ‘Britannia ruled the waves’ greatly transformed the culture and customs of Britain. Indeed, many aspects of what is now considered ‘uniquely British’ have their origins in Asia – thanks to the voyages of the EIC. With these new ventures came new discoveries - and a new taste for the exotic was born.
A taste for the exotic
Interior of a ‘Chinese’ Shop c.1680-90 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
The introduction of Asian goods to Britain’s consumer markets brought about an ever-increasing demand for ‘exotica’ from faraway lands – the most prized of these commodities being spices (especially pepper), textiles, porcelain and tea.
The above painting captures the interior of a ‘Chinese shop’ in London displaying a profusion of luxury goods - including lacquers, Chinese porcelain, Indian chintzes, Persian paintings and more. London had become an ‘emporium of the world’ as the EIC supplied the demand for exotic goods on a massive scale, not just in Britain, but beyond its shores in Europe.
The rest of this article takes us on a journey back in time through a selection of ‘exotic Asian goods’ acquired by the EIC, that are now on display in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. It also depicts a range of home-made British goods with a distinct Asian twist – reflecting the strong Asian influence on British taste and style.
Precious pepper – the preserve of the wealthy
Left: The Mostyn pepper caster c.1563-64. Right: Ceremonial salt container placed in front of guests of honour on Tudor dining tables c.1592-93. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Once worth its weight in gold, pepper, the King of Spice, which originated from India’s Malabar Coast, was what propelled the EIC to early success. Pictured above is the Mostyn pepper caster, made of pure silver, reflecting the value of this rare spice - a luxurious condiment that only the wealthy could afford. Such exotic innovations were a direct result of the spice trade that transformed the dining rooms of Europe’s upper-classes at that time. The lucrative spice trade gave rise to the demand for new luxury goods and dining equipment that transformed the Tudor dining rooms of Europe’s upper-classes.
Etching by Johannes de Ram c.1680 The Dutch East Indies spice trade. A Dutchman and a native at the fort of Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia) © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
The early success of the pepper trade was short lived in Britain. Competition from other importers during the Age of Exploration soon brought down the price of this once rare commodity in Europe, making it available to the man in the street. This greatly diminished the EIC’s profitability, forcing the company to look to the next most lucrative commodity: South Asian cotton.
Chintzy cotton and the birth of high street fashion
Not long after, in 1609, the EIC began importing large shipments of beautiful, hand-painted cotton textiles from Surat, India. Soon the British market was flooded with these inexpensive cloths that were also lightweight, absorbent, colour-fast and washable (without shrinking). In a country where clothes were made of drab woollen material, designed for durability rather than fashion, this lightweight fabric proved nothing short of revolutionary.
Chintz petticoat, yoke and cape c.1770s © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
These Indian cottons, characterised by their colourful intricate patterns, came to be known as ‘chintz’ – derived from the Hindi word chint, meaning ‘speckled’. Regarded as a folk-cloth used to clothe the lower classes, the irresistible charm of these fabrics with their vivid patterns soon caught the eye of the upper classes. It grew in popularity to become the ideal fabric for fashionable ladies’ garments and men’s morning gowns.
Each new pattern became all the rage in London from the moment it arrived – sparking a ‘chintz boom’ which marked the beginning of London’s high street fashion. It was the EIC’s textile trade that gave rise to Britain’s consumer culture by creating an ever-increasing demand for exotic goods. Not surprisingly, by the late 1600s, South Asian textiles overtook the EIC’s spice trade to make up 75% of all British imports.
Left: 17C hand painted Indian chintz fabric. Source: The Whitworth, University of Manchester
Right: Indian chintz display. Source: Textile Museum, London
Cotton cultivation in India, by William Simpson, 1862 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Western adaptations of Chinese porcelain
By the late 17th century, Britain’s booming commercial expansion meant that demand for luxury Asian goods had begun to outstrip supply due to the long time gap between shipments. To bridge that gap, Britan started developing its own line of Eastern-inspired ‘exotic’ goods, drawing on a new talent pool of European artisans and craftsmen who had fled their countries to escape religious persecution. As a result, Britain’s consumer market was soon filled with affordable local imitations and adaptations resembling expensive Asian goods - Chinese porcelain and earthenware being some of the most sought after commodities. Below is a classic example of a blue-and-white plate made in Britain to resemble Chinese porcelain.
Left: 18C English Delft stoneware plate with white tin-glaze, made in Lambeth, London. Source: ebay. Right: Porcelain plate c.1750, made in Jingdezhen, China © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Whilst on the surface the two plates look somewhat similar, the British version is in fact a stoneware plate with a white tin glaze, made to mimic the likeness of Chinese porcelain – a delicate yet robust material that was highly sought after, but took much longer to produce.
The English plate was made in the style of Dutch Delft stoneware produced by Dutch settlers who had mastered the art of making their own line of blue-and white goods that were cheaper, quicker and easier to mass produce than porcelain (whose production method then remained a well-kept secret in China). This marked the beginning of a thriving new earthenware industry in Britain, built to capitalise on the great demand for Chinese porcelain.
A tale of two teapots
Left: English clay teapot. Made in Newcastle c.1690-1698. Right: Chinese Yixing teapot. c.1627
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London
So successful was Britain’s newly formed earthenware industry that by the late 1600s, enterprising tradesmen from the Far East arrived in Britain to learn the tricks of the earthenware trade, resulting in a mutual cross-pollination of styles that was to become a hallmark of globalisation.
The two teapots above are both made of red clay – one in England (complete with fake Chinese characters etched on), one in China. Demand for teapots had been fuelled by the introduction of Chinese tea, a rare and expensive commodity in the West, with its accompanying tableware. English clay teapots were created as an alternative to the expensive Chinese porcelain originals. Remarkably, over time, Chinese potters started borrowing designs from English pattern books, attempting to replicate western versions of Eastern goods! Thus the exchange of tastes and culture knew no limits and worked both ways.
The teapots of this era were small due to the high price of tea leaves imported from China. Indeed, a kilogram of tea would have been a gift fit for royalty. Thus the ‘uniquely British’ tea-drinking ritual of today originated from China during the time of the EIC, when only the wealthy could partake of this luxurious beverage, sipped in small servings as a display of conspicuous consumption.
So whenever we drink a cup of tea in Britain today, we’re really sampling a taste of its fascinating history - served centuries ago by the English East India Company.
 | Lena Sharp is a freelance writer who was born in Singapore and resides in the UK. She enjoys exploring cross-cultural connections that bridge the two worlds she inhabits - whilst taking others on a journey of discovery through her contributions. |
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