Four studies of Tulipa cultivars (Tulip)

The Dutch enthusiasm and passion for flowers in the 17th and 18th centuries gave birth to what has been considered 'the greatest school of flower painting in the history of art' (Blunt, p. 127). The 'Tulipomania' that captivated the Dutch meant that certain species became so expensive that some collectors would commission artists to paint the flower instead of actually purchasing it.
The green watercolour used in the present drawings is typical of the pigment used by Ehret and by A.W. Sievert (fl. 1720-1760) in the early 18th century. The artist has been paticularly successful in capturing the sheen of the waxy petals.