The Black Tulip

In the work of the outstanding French novelist Alexandre Dumas, the action unfolds against the backdrop of true historical events that took place in the Netherlands in the 17th century. The country is torn apart by internal turmoil, and an enraged mob takes revenge on the head of their government, Johan de Witt, and his brother Cornelis. Meanwhile, in Europe, the "tulip mania" is brewing. A reward of one hundred thousand florins is designated for whoever can grow an unprecedentedly beautiful flower – the black tulip. The best gardeners in the country engage in a fierce struggle for the prize. A young doctor and passionate gardener, Cornelius van Baerle, manages to grow the coveted bulb, but a treacherous neighbor and rival informs the authorities, implicating the young man in a political conspiracy. The only person who can save him and help him realize his dream is the brave and beautiful Rosa, the daughter of the prison warden… Illustrations by the renowned artist Anatoly Zinovievich Itkin will help readers immerse themselves in the era of the legendary "flower mania," an era of passionate turmoil and intrigue.