Liu Dun (Chinese, B. 1953) "Red & Yellow Tulips" Signed lower left. Original Watercolor on Illustration Board painting. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 29c Tulip coil stamp issued August 16, 1991. Tulips are members of the lily family. These hardy, bulbous-rooted flowers originated in the Old World and flourished in temperate climates ranging from Japan to Asia Minor. Wildly popular during the 1600s, the flowers have retained a devoted following among modern gardeners who cannot envision spring flowerbeds without hosts of colorful tulips. Most cultivated tulips are varieties of T. gesneriana and possess the slender stems and turban-shaped blossoms typical of the flower. Yet a walk through the Netherlands' tulip markets provides an astonishing lesson in horticulture. Nestled among the more familiar flowers are strange, exotic plants in many shapes, sizes and colors. Some have pointed, lily-like petals which curl daintily. Others are voluptuous flowers, lushly petaled like peonies or dahlias. Their colors range from soft pastels to rich shades of crimson. Occasionally a tulip "breaks" -- its bulb produces a new color or bizarre pattern. In the past broken bulbs fetched extravagant market prices, for everyone wanted to own a flamboyant new variety of tulip. Botanists now know that a virus spread by aphids causes the mutant flower, and diseased tulips are removed to prevent further infection. Image Size: 10.25 x 8.75 in. Overall Size: 13.75 x 12 in. Unframed. (B13148)