Zhenhua Wang (Chinese, 20th C.) "Tulips" Signed and stamped lower left. Watercolor on Rice Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This artwork originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day of Issue Maximum Card for the U.S. 29c Tulip stamp issued January 22, 1991. This graceful garden flower, which we traditionally associate with the Netherlands, is actually an exotic native of Asia Minor. The first bulbs found in Europe came to Vienna, Austria, from Constantinople in Turkey. Resembling the Turkish turbans for which they were named, the beautiful blossoms achieved instant notoriety. A passionate interest in the flower resulted, and by the 17th century the tulip reigned as the most popular flower in many European countries. Hardest hit by "tulipomania" was Holland, where Dutch citizens invested in tulips much like modern speculators invest in stocks or real estate. Many lost their entire fortunes during this horticultural craze, and the Dutch government eventually passed legislation to regulate bulb trade. Tulip cultivation remains a vital industry in the Netherlands, where hundreds of thousands of cup-shaped flowers herald the advent of spring and the opening of the season's bulb markets. The Royal Dutch General Bulbgrower's Association zealously monitors hybridization processes throughout the world and requires all hybrid species to undergo years of intensive testing before inclusion in the international register of tulips. Size: 9.75 x 14 in. Unframed. (B12928)