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Billion Dollar Bulbs: Tulips From the Ottoman Empire to Today with Alette Fleischer
Billion Dollar Bulbs: Tulips From the Ottoman Empire to Today with Alette Fleischer

Billion Dollar Bulbs: Tulips From the Ottoman Empire to Today with Alette Fleischer


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

From its humble origins in the Caucasus Mountains over 1000 years ago, we will follow the Tulip’s path via the Ottoman Turkish tulipomania to Holland’s billion-dollar tulip industry today. Join an expert to learn how the magical charm of the tulip has ruined the fortunes of sultans and bulb speculators while its beauty, color, and form have captured our gaze for centuries.

The tulip industry in Holland is an important part of the Dutch economy, bringing in huge revenues along with millions of visitors every spring who come to see the amazing colors of the flower fields. Together we will trace the origins of this mighty economic force, from the courts of Ottoman sultans to the bulb’s arrival in the Netherlands. We will follow the fame and fortune of this flower through the nineteenth century and see how painters, potters, and other artisans captured its delicate form.

We will delve into the flower industry of today, to learn about the new varieties of tulips on display each year at the Keukenhof Garden festival. Not open to visitors this year, we will take a look virtually at this special garden. We will see how new hybrids are developed each year yielding ever more beautiful exemplars of the millennial bud.

Led by an expert on garden history, Alette Fleischer, this interactive seminar will bring you closer to the tulip; the flower, and the bulb. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with increased knowledge about 1000 years of tulip history and the place of the tulip in our society today. 

Amsterdam-born Alette Fleischer has a degree in Art History and a PhD in 17th Dutch History, focusing on gardens, science, and technology. She has curated several exhibitions, publishes articles, presents lectures, and a proud Context Expert. For Context Travel, Alette has led the Rijksmuseum tours many times. Motto: staying curious is key for being a good historian.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 9 reviews
67%
(6)
22%
(2)
11%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
S
S.B. (Ashland, US)
Billion Dollar Tulips

I thoroughly enjoyed Billion Dollar Tulips and was so impressed with the amount of information that was packed into the presentation. I am now inspired to buy some tulip bulbs!

S
S. (Minneapolis, US)
Fun look at tulip history and current production methods

I enjoyed this topic and learned many things about the plants that I was unaware of previously. In addition Alette had a lot of interesting details and photos of the modern business of bulb and flower production which made me really appreciate the fact that we have so much beauty to choose from throughout the year.

N
Noel Stillings (Miami, US)
One of Context's best lecturers

Over 30+ lectures with Context, and I rank Dr. Fleischer as one of the top 3! Always such an enjoyable learning experience with her lectures, and this one was no different. Besides all the lovely pictures, Dr. Fleischer went through the history of the tulips and the growth of the tulip and Dutch flower economy. I loved the pictures of the K------ gardens, the incredibly vivid fields upon fields of lovely flowers. Can't wait to visit them in person hopefully soon!

S
Susan G (Wilmette, US)
Beautiful and Fascinating

Alette is a wonderful story-teller. This was a fantastic seminar on the history of tulips and the tulip bulb and cut flower trade. We saw videos of the flower fields and the tulip auction as well as gorgeous images of tulip vases and of tulips depicted in art. Alette's seminars are always well organized and presented. Beautiful in every way!

K
Kris Shapar (Stuttgart, DE)
Delightful and informative, as always from this presenter

Guest did not leave comment

Customer Reviews

Based on 9 reviews
67%
(6)
22%
(2)
11%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
S
S.B. (Ashland, US)
Billion Dollar Tulips

I thoroughly enjoyed Billion Dollar Tulips and was so impressed with the amount of information that was packed into the presentation. I am now inspired to buy some tulip bulbs!

S
S. (Minneapolis, US)
Fun look at tulip history and current production methods

I enjoyed this topic and learned many things about the plants that I was unaware of previously. In addition Alette had a lot of interesting details and photos of the modern business of bulb and flower production which made me really appreciate the fact that we have so much beauty to choose from throughout the year.

N
Noel Stillings (Miami, US)
One of Context's best lecturers

Over 30+ lectures with Context, and I rank Dr. Fleischer as one of the top 3! Always such an enjoyable learning experience with her lectures, and this one was no different. Besides all the lovely pictures, Dr. Fleischer went through the history of the tulips and the growth of the tulip and Dutch flower economy. I loved the pictures of the K------ gardens, the incredibly vivid fields upon fields of lovely flowers. Can't wait to visit them in person hopefully soon!

S
Susan G (Wilmette, US)
Beautiful and Fascinating

Alette is a wonderful story-teller. This was a fantastic seminar on the history of tulips and the tulip bulb and cut flower trade. We saw videos of the flower fields and the tulip auction as well as gorgeous images of tulip vases and of tulips depicted in art. Alette's seminars are always well organized and presented. Beautiful in every way!

K
Kris Shapar (Stuttgart, DE)
Delightful and informative, as always from this presenter

Guest did not leave comment