Margrave Carl Wilhelm of Baden-Durlach (1679 – 1738) loved the "elegantissimae species" of the tulip. He had this fashionable flower of the Baroque age and other botanical treasures of the palace garden painted by various artists. Over the years approximately 6,000 pages were painted in watercolors. Only a small part of these flower depictions have been preserved, for example the "Karlsruher Tulpenbuch" (Karlsruhe Book of Tulips).
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The precious volume is part of the collection of manuscripts of the Badische Landesbibliothek (Baden State Library) in Karlsruhe. (www.blb-karlsruhe.de/virt_bib/tulpen/) It consists of 72 plant portraits. The illustrations reflect the taste of that age. While single-colored tulips with a narrow, long head and pointed petals were in demand in the Orient, in Europe hybrids with large calyxes were popular. If they had the appearance of flames and two or more colors - all the better!
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The tulip watercolors were not only beautiful to look at, they also served as an impressive supplement to the stock lists of the gardeners. New hybrids in Karlsruhe, like "Marggräfin Sybilla Augusta von Baaden" (Margravine Sybilla Augusta of Baden) were proudly documented and stylishly presented. In addition, the depictions were intended to become part of a cycle of botanical copperplate engravings which the Margrave wanted to have produced.