AN ILLUSTRATED FOLIO FROM A SCIENTIFIC ENCYCLOPAEDIA, POSSIBLY A PERSIAN TRANSLATION OF DIOSCORIDES' DE MATERIA MEDICA

TIMURID IRAN, CIRCA 15TH CENTURY

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AN ILLUSTRATED FOLIO FROM A SCIENTIFIC ENCYCLOPAEDIA, POSSIBLY A PERSIAN TRANSLATION OF DIOSCORIDES' DE MATERIA MEDICA
TIMURID IRAN, CIRCA 15TH CENTURY
From a Persian dictionary, arranged alphabetically, Persian manuscript on paper, 31ll. of small scholarly naskh, headings in larger script, entries in red script, with a large depiction of a flowering plant with its root, possibly soapwort
Folio 14 ¼ x 10 ½in. (36.5 x 26.7cm.)

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Lot Essay

Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica was one of the earliest scientific texts to be translated from Greek to Arabic. It is considered as the foundation of Islamic pharmacology and gives the therapeutic properties of natural substances. It contains numerous illustrations of plants derived from the Greek model. Although it is unsure whether the present folio is a Persian translation from De Materia Medica, it closely relates to it. Similar folios, although earlier and dated circa 1200, are in the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto (Spirit & Life, exhibition catalogue, Geneva, 2007, cat.100, pp.134-135). The species discussed on this page are Qantaryun (St John's wort), Firfiun (the euphorbium plant) and Sabun (soapwort).

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