Tulipa gesneriana (have-tulipan) 1649 - 1659

Here are five tulips, rendered in watercolour on paper by Hans Simon Holtzbecker, a mid-17th century artist working in Northern Europe. They show the ‘gesneriana’ species, known today as the garden tulip. The bright colours and careful rendering of the flower heads speak to the explosion of interest in botany during this period. It was also a time of intense speculation in the Dutch tulip market known as ‘tulip mania’. Prices for bulbs soared and crashed in the 1630s, creating a financial bubble, and Holtzbecker’s image is evidence of this phenomenon. But how do we know that the market in bulbs played a role in the creation of this image? Well, you might want to consult historical price records, merchants’ inventories, or even satirical prints that mocked the craze at the time. Each of these sources contributes to an understanding of the social and institutional contexts of the art.