Theatrum Sanitatis

This medieval medical manuscript from Lombardy was furnished with 206 miniatures
It is a Latin translation of the fundamental medical text from the 11th century by Ibn Butlan (died ca. 1069)
The treatise was meant to spread medical knowledge and thus improved hygiene standards among the nobility

Theatrum Sanitatis

Ms. 4182 Biblioteca Casanatense (Rome, Italy)

Description

Theatrum Sanitatis

“Taqwim as-sihha” roughly translates to “Tabular Overview of Health” and, in its Latinized form, became a literary genre in its own right during the Late Middle Ages in Europe. It all began with the Taqwim as-sihha by the Iraqi physician Ibn Butlan (d. ca. 1069), who, around 1050, compiled not only a list of foods such as camel meat and melons but also reflected in his work on the health effects of wind, sleep, and clothing. These tables, which were originally not illuminated, were translated into Latin at the court of King Manfred of Sicily (1258–1266) and subsequently merged with the ancient tradition of richly illuminated herbals to form a new type of book: the Tacuinum Sanitatis or Theatrum Sanitatis. The copy from the Biblioteca Casanatense is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful surviving examples of these picture books and captivates with its 206 almost full-page miniatures. The manuscript bears a strong resemblance to the Viennese copy, Cod. Vindob. 2396. However, the miniatures depict the featured plants not so much in relation to humans, but rather as the primary aesthetic protagonists of the large images.

Theatrum Sanitatis

In the 14th and 15th centuries, medicine was based primarily on experimental results and not on religious superstition, as before. The treatise Theatrum Sanitas was composed in order to spread and make known prudent hygienic norms among the princes and powers that be of the Middle Ages. The Latin manuscript is based on the medical insights of the Arabian doctor Iban Butlan from the 11th century. The manuscript is adorned with 206 high-quality, artistically appealing illustrations.

The Medicine of Ibn Butlan

Ibn Butlan was a famous Christian doctor who lived and worked in Baghdad. His findings purported that the health of a person is dependent on six elements. Counted among them are diet, the surrounding outside world, movement and rest, bodily fluids and excretions as well as the various emotional states of a person. Illnesses originated, according to his opinion, from a disturbance of these areas. With the help of outstanding miniatures, Butlan’s insights are clarified in the Latin codex and advice for the maintenance of health and for recovering from illness is presented.

Informative and Esthetic Book Decoration

The luxurious picture cycle of the codex was produced in Lombardy. The high-quality pictures reflect the traditional painting of the great book artist Giovanni de Grassi. They show the most varied aspects of medieval medicine in boundless fantasy. The scenes, which are concerned with health and the healing of illnesses, are often imbedded in everyday scenes from life in the Middle Ages. So the fabulous pictures take their beholder along on a journey into the world of times long past.

Codicology

Alternative Titles: Tacuinum Sanitatis
Type: Manuscript on paper
Size / Format: 214 pages / 32.8 × 22.0 cm
Origin: Italy
Date: between 1390 and 1410
Epochs: Late Middle Ages Onwards
Style: Gothic
Genre: Medicine
Natural History / Bestiaries
Botany
Language: Latin
Illustrations: 206 paintings
Content: Latin, abridged adaptation of the Taqwim as-sihha: Table of contents, preface, main section consisting of dominant miniatures with brief medical explanations of the respective “materia medica” below
Artist / School: Ibn Butlan (author)
Lombard artistic tradition, the school of Giovanni de Grassi (illuminators)

Available facsimile editions:

Detail Picture

Theatrum Sanitatis

Partridge Hunting

A wealthy nobleman is shown with a falcon and dogs hunting for partridges, which continue to be a popular game bird today. The plump birds also appear in both ancient Greek mythology and the Bible signifying humility. Regarding partridges, the accompanying text reads: “Nature: Of moderate warmth. Optimum: Those that are moist and fat. Usefulness: Good for convalescing people. Dangers: Bad for those engaged in heavy labor. Neutralization of the Dangers: Cooking them with leavened dough.”

Single Page

Theatrum Sanitatis

Pigeon Chicks

The page at hand concerns raising pigeons for food, known as squab, as part of a series on the species from which the modern pigeon is descended. Its caption reads: “NATURE: hot and dry in the second degree. BEST when already weaned. BENEFICIAL for paralysis and chills. DETRIMENTAL to the brain and cause insomnia. REMEDY THE DETRIMENT with vinegar and coriander.”

This splendid page is embedded in the everyday life of late–14th century Italy, particularly with its depiction of fashion. Father and son are dressed in thigh-length tunics and tights, the son is girt with sword and dagger while the father sports a forked beard. The mother is dressed more modestly in a flowing dress with her head covered as she gathers eggs from the birdcage.