The Tulip – In Nature, History and Art

Gül İrepoğlu documents the myriad aspects of the tulip that embraces the colours of life, art and history: its significance, journey and reign… Fêted for its shape reaching for the firmament, dazzling colours and flawless figure, the tulip has stamped its mark on many a corner of the world; it has inspired, adopted symbols, contributed to poetry, painted works of art, decorated spaces, and settled into hearts… The times may have changed and ages may have gone by, say the turning pages, yet the desire to pursue and aspire to the tulip’s beauty endures unchanged. In his Muhibbî persona, the Ruler of the World Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent hesitates between the sweetheart’s cheek and the tulip as he compliments the latter: Favour the colour of her cheek or the tulip? Enjoying the tulip demands work: one needs to bow down before this delicate flower not only to grow and watch it, but also to detect its subtle scent. This book tells the dazzling and captivating story of the tulip.