Tulipa gesneriana (have-tulipan) 1635 - 1664

Hans Simon Holtzbecker created this image of Tulipa gesneriana, or garden tulip, with watercolour and gouache. This botanical study reminds us that art doesn't exist in a vacuum, and reflects the prevailing economic and cultural conditions of its time. It was most likely created in Hamburg, Germany in the mid-17th century. In the 1630s, the Dutch Republic experienced ‘Tulip Mania’, a speculative bubble that saw the price of tulip bulbs soar to astronomical levels before collapsing. This craze gripped all levels of society. Botanical art experienced a surge during this time, fuelled by a new interest in the natural world and the global trade in exotic species. Holtzbecker was employed by wealthy merchants of Hamburg. So it’s not a surprise that his botanical images found a ready market among those eager to display their wealth and sophistication. By researching auction records, estate inventories, and the archives of merchant guilds, we can gain a richer understanding of the cultural significance of these images and how they functioned within the society that produced them.