Tulip Mania was a period in the Dutch Golden Age during which contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637. It is generally considered the first recorded speculative bubble and a classic example of a fad where the perceived value of an object far exceeded its practical worth. The obsession was driven by the beauty and 'broken' (variegated) patterns of the flowers, which were caused by a virus, and it had near-catastrophic effects on the Dutch economy.

Tulip Mania has served as a powerful allegory for economic folly, greed, and the ephemeral nature of desire in various literary works. The 20th-century Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert wrote a celebrated essay on the craze, 'The Bitter Smell of Tulips,' exploring its philosophical and historical implications. The event's blend of beauty, commerce, and madness has provided a rich metaphor for poets examining the interface between art and economics.