Tulips – Crispijn van de Passe the Younger, 1617

“Tulipa cinnab. et alb. Flamm” and “Tulipa Sanguin“. Copper engraving made by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger and published in Arnhem by Johannes Janssonius in 1617. Coloured by a later hand. Size (plate mark): 21,8 x 13,7 cm.

In the first half of the 17th century, Europe experienced a true “tulip mania.” Bulb and tuberous plants were in fashion, and publishers released numerous books on the subject, featuring more or less realistic illustrations. One of the most famous of these is the Hortus Floridus, which was sold in the Dutch-language edition as “Den Blom-hof“.

Starting in the mid-16th century, the tulip was introduced to Western Europe from Turkey. The botanist Carolus Clusius (1526–1609) played a key role in this process around 1600. Interest in the new flower and its various species quickly grew, leading to an equally lively trade, in which tulips, as a fashionable commodity, were often sold at exorbitant prices. Initially, the bulbs themselves were traded, but later, transactions involved bulbs that did not yet exist—speculative futures trading. This led to large-scale speculative dealings between growers, enthusiasts, and ordinary citizens. However, in 1637, an inevitable crisis brought an end to this speculative bubble and the tulip mania.

It is against this backdrop of a floral and botanical craze that the Hortus Floridus should be understood. The book is widely regarded as a masterpiece. Its creator, Crispijn (van) de Passe the Younger (1589–1670), came from a family of well-known illustrators and engravers. He personally drew and engraved most of the copper engravings, while his father, Crispijn Sr. (c. 1565–1637), and his brothers, Simon (1595–1647) and Willem (1598–c. 1637), also made significant contributions.

Thanks to Crispijn van de Passe’s engraving talent, the Hortus Floridus holds an important place in botanical iconography. Compared to the widely used woodcut technique of the 16th century, copperplate engraving allowed plants and flowers to be depicted not only with greater accuracy but also in a more artistic and painterly manner. Van de Passe fully seized this opportunity, creating a high-quality publication. However, it was not intended as a purely scientific work. Van de Passe’s work was widely known, even beyond the Netherlands, and multiple imitations and copies were produced. The Hortus Floridus served as an inspiration for botanists for no less than three centuries.

Price: 475,-