In the heyday of the Tulipmania, ‘Martineus van Tol’ was a prominent figure, a distinguished jurist and orphan master from Leiden.
Van Tol was a respected member of the elite of Amsterdam and Leiden, and a fervent tulip enthusiast.
His interest in tulips went so far that he even employed a gardener specifically tasked with caring for his extensive tulip collection.
Among his collection were three varieties bearing his name, including the “Admirael van Tol”. This tulip is notable for its deep red stripes. A particular feature of the depiction of this tulip is the small spider visible in the flower, poised to weave its web. This element adds a sense of life and movement to the still life of the tulip.
There is still a tulip from the time of the Tulipmania called the “Duc van Tol”. It is the oldest tulip cultivated in the Netherlands. It is believed to have been brought from Vienna by Carolus Clusius at that time. This tulip is cultivated by the Hortus Bulborum and can be ordered from their website.
The portrait of the “Admirael van Tol“, from the ‘Ninetynine Tulips’ collection, serves as the inspirtation for the ‘Van Tol’ NFTs. The theme of the 99 Van Tol NFT tulips is ‘spider’, refering to the insect on the physical painting.
Ninetynine Tulips 