Johann Thomas Fischer (German, 1603-1685)
Parrot Tulips with a Spider’s Web
Watercolor on parchment
Signed with monogram and dated on lower stems: JF/ 1653
Parchment size: 11 3/16 x 7 in.
Frame size: 23 1/2 x 19 1/2 in.

Provenance: Count Preysing, Munich; Paul Drey Gallery, New York
Exhibitions: The New York Botanical Garden, New York, Buried Treasures: The Nature and Art of Bulbs, October 7, 2006 - January 7, 2006

The delicacy of this study of seven parrot tulips cannot be overstated, or fully grasped except on close, careful examination. The delicate veins of red running through the white petals lead the flowers to emerge from the background with luminosity. Fischer’s mastery of the medium is also visible in his ability to modulate delicate hues to convey depth, as visible in the stems of the tulips. Fischer depicts the intriguing detail of a wispy, transparent spider web spun around the stems. This subtle and lovely creative addition makes what might have been perceived as a straightforward botanical study into an artful, imaginative rendering.

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