Meerkleurige tulp 1617

This multicolor tulip was captured on paper by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger, using the technique of engraving. Engraving is a meticulous intaglio process, where the artist uses a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the incised lines. When pressed onto paper, the image transfers as a delicate, precise print. The quality of the line is what defines the success of the image. Look closely, and you can observe the remarkable precision. In the 17th century, the Dutch were seized by "Tulip Mania," when speculation in tulip bulbs reached exorbitant heights before crashing. Though seemingly worlds apart, the careful skill of the engraver and the speculative frenzy of the market share one thing in common: a concentrated focus on the smallest of material details. The value of a tulip, like the quality of an engraving, was all in the lines.