Jacob Marrell Tulips Vase

Jacob Marrel (1613-1681) was a German still-life painter and tulip dealer active in Utrecht during the Dutch Golden Age. The variegated blooms featured on our vase come from one of six tulip books he created during Tulipomania, a period when the Dutch went mad for tulips.

Originating in Central Asia, tulips were first cultivated in Persia (Iran). By the 16th century, they
were prized by the Ottoman Empire, and became a symbol of power and wealth in Turkey.

Introduced to Europe through the spice routes, the Dutch elite became enthralled with tulips, making them valuable commodities. Tulip trading was so intense that a single rare bulb was worth the purchase price of a mansion. The market crashed spectacularly in 1637, but the passion for these beautiful blooms persisted, and today the etherlands is still the largest producer of tulips in the world.

Jacob Marrel (1613-1681)
Four Tulips
Watercolor on vellum
The Metropolitan Museum of Art