The Badische Landesbibliothek in Karlsruhe (State library of Baden-Württemberg) recently posted a site devoted to the 'Karsruhe Tulpenbuch' (~1730). [thumbnail pages, multiple size image slideshow ('Bilderschau') and some large, high resolution examples ('Großformat-Abbildungen')] {via}
Karlsruhe in SW Germany was founded by and named after Margrave Karl Wilhelm of Baden-Durlach in 1715. He lived in the Karlsruhe Schloss (castle) whose baroque gardens were arranged in a concentric pattern and the 32 avenues radiating from the central tower gave rise to the circular shape of the town.
If you read german there is a lot of background available about the history of the gardens and the Karl Wilhelm family but the web translations left me more confused than enlightened. There are about 72 illustrations available (obviously not all tulips) and check out the links at the bottom of the page.
- The introduction page has a microfilm copy of the estate layout.
- Aerial views of the Karlsruhe Schlossgarten from recent times (now including botanical gardens) - about the first 6 pictures.
- A map of the area from 1843.
7 comments :
How gorgeous... Maybe it's the overlap in species depicted, but these remind me of the Thorntons -- flowers with a real sexual-epiphanial presence, anything but merely botanically informative. Also, they are watercolors with gouache, not hand-colored prints -- are they not? And they zoom up with thrilling accuracy. Thank you!
These are so beautiful. My favorite posts here have always been the ones with the flowers.
I'm wondering what the name of the fifth one down is (the red flowers that hang down)... I've seen them in several colors in Europe, yellow ones today in Dresden. (Also saw some very nice fancy tulips.) These hanging flowers are not something I ever encountered in North America.
Hi - LOVE your blog:)))
I'm certain you know about the British Library's new online version of 'Turning the Pages' - but just in case it slipped by you, here is the link:
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/ttpbooks.html
Stunning!!!
So intense, it's hard to rip your eyes away from these.
Thanks again for revealing the splendid to us pk! :}
To Karla: the fifth flower from the top is "Frittilaria Imperialis", or "Crown Imperial".
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