Wardell Milan. "Orange Tulips". 20" x 15", archival paper. Signed edition of 50. $250. "Orange Tulips" comes from a series stemming from Milan's interest in the 17th century speculative bubble termed 'Tulipomania': a craze for the perennial flower that devastated the Dutch commodities market. Flush with color and expressive flourish, the beautiful painting points out the dangers of obsession and reveal the potential of decay within the exquisite. The charcoal drawing of the tulip provides the foundation for the image. Oil, oil pastels, crayon and colored pencil enliven the tulip with color, marks blooming into the negative space around each flower.
