Parrot tulips 

Wilhelm Steinhausen made this delicate botanical study of parrot tulips with watercolor on paper. Born in Germany in 1846, Steinhausen lived through a time of significant social and political transformation as the country unified and industrialized. The parrot tulip, with its flamboyantly ruffled and twisted petals, seems to capture a sense of both the beauty and the artificiality of the era. These tulips, prized for their unique appearance, were cultivated and bred to achieve their distinctive form, a kind of manipulation that mirrors the societal changes of the time. The tulip, once a symbol of economic speculation and status, now takes on a quieter, more introspective role. Steinhausen’s delicate rendering emphasizes the inherent tension between nature and artifice, inviting reflection on the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world.