Tulipa gesneriana (have-tulipan) 1635 - 1664

Hans Simon Holtzbecker made this watercolour on paper of Tulipa gesneriana, or tulip, at an unknown date. The tulip came to Europe from Turkey in the 16th century and quickly became a status symbol in the Netherlands and beyond. By the 17th century, during the Dutch Golden Age, speculation in tulip bulbs caused the first recorded speculative bubble in history, known as "Tulip Mania." Single bulbs of rare varieties, particularly those with flame-like patterns similar to the ones shown here, sometimes sold for more than the price of houses. Holtzbecker was working in Hamburg, which was a centre for trade at this time, and therefore the perfect place for a flower painter. The formal elegance of his depiction speaks to a cultural preoccupation with the value of the rare flower and the Dutch obsession with the flower is well documented in primary source material and secondary literature. Looking at this painting today, we can appreciate both its beauty and its historical significance as a reminder of the social and economic forces that shape our world.