I have a tough time drawing tulips. Probably because there is no room for error when it comes to drawing the long, fluid lines of the stem and the precision and symmetry of the petals. But I do love them. I am not alone. The tulip was introduced to Europe in the mid-16th century from the Ottoman Empire and quickly became a rare, prized luxury item. Collectors fought over the bulbs to the point of hysteria in the early 17th century. During the Dutch Golden Age, tulip futures trading created the first speculative bubble in history. At its peak in 1637, contract prices for some tulip bulbs sold for more than ten times the annual income of a skilled craftsman! Alas, the Greater Fool Theory hit its tipping point and prices crashed, bringing an end to Tulip Mania. I don't know. I think there are still plenty fools like me out there in love with tulips.
(stay tuned for the drawing...)
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