Description:

GHANOUNCHEH FI TEB, WRITTEN BY MAHMOUD BIN MOHAMMAD CHAGHMINI AL-KHARAZMI, 18TH CENTURY
Persia or Central Asia

Description:
An important 18th-century medical manuscript of Ghanouncheh fi Teb, a derivative of the seminal Canon of Medicine (al-Qanun fi al-Tibb) tradition, authored by Mahmoud bin Mohammad Chaghmini al-Kharazmi. This copy, preserved in fine condition, demonstrates the continuity and regional adaptation of Avicennian medical theory into the early modern Islamic world.

Comprising detailed commentary on anatomy, physiology, and pathology, the manuscript is written in elegant black naskh script with rubrications in red, clearly demarcating sections and terminologies. Of particular note is the detailed anatomical illustration featured on one folio, depicting the internal organs and fetal development of a female figure, reflecting both classical Islamic medical knowledge and the influence of Galenic anatomical tradition.

The text is accompanied by marginal glosses in later hands, indicating its use and study across generations. The vibrant anatomical chart, rendered in washes of rose, ochre, and ink outlines, stands out as both scientific diagram and artistic achievement.

Dimensions:
Length: 21 cm
Width: 13.5 cm

Comparable Examples:

  • A manuscript of Chaghmini’s Qanuncheh with anatomical diagrams sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 30 April 2019, Lot 49, for £32,500.

  • A similar medical manuscript with anatomical illustrations attributed to the Timurid period fetched £27,500 at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 25 October 2021, Lot 125.

  • An Ottoman-era illustrated manuscript on medicine realised £38,750 at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 April 2017, Lot 140.

Note:
Mahmoud Chaghmini was a renowned figure in Islamic scientific literature, particularly known for his works on astronomy and medicine. His medical treatises offered accessible summaries of complex classical theories, widely taught in madrasas. This manuscript is a rare survival of such instruction, combining scholastic rigor with practical utility. The anatomical figure, with a fetus depicted in utero, testifies to the manuscript’s pedagogical role and the broader Islamic world's deep engagement with empirical medical knowledge.

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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