Although little is known about the 17th-century tulip ‘Jan Gerritsen’, the name offers us a glimpse into its history.
“Jan Gerritsen” is a typical Dutch name. Jan is one of the most common first names in the Netherlands, while Gerritsen is based on the father’s first name, suggesting that someone named Jan was the son of a man named Gerrit.
This tulip may have been named after the grower himself or another person who played a significant role in his life or career. This was a common practice in the 17th century. Despite knowing little about the person behind the name, the tulip “Jan Gerritsen” reminds us of the people, often ordinary citizens, who contributed to the flourishing of the Tulipmania.
The tulip appears on various sales lists, including the auction list of February 5, 1637, in Haarlem. This sale occurred just before the Tulipmania crashed. On this list, we see that even then, the tulip was among the lowest-priced tulips. It’s possible that a less wealthy individual hoped to make a fortune with a “Jan Gerritsen” bulb, but perhaps lost his entire savings that day.
The theme for the 99 NFTs in various art styles for the “Jan Gerritsen” tulip is ‘God’s grace’. “Jan” is the Dutch form of the name Johannes, which means ‘God is gracious’ in Hebrew. It is a name that is prevalent in the Bible. The portrait of the “Jan Gerritsen” from the ‘Ninetynine Tulips’ collection, serves as an inspiration for the NFTs.
Ninetynine Tulips 