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Christ Holding the Universe, in Aristotle, 'Works on Natural Philosophy' - 1265.
In the 13th-century, western Europe rediscovered Aristotle's books on natural philosophy, or natural science ('Libri naturales'), and this caused an intellectual revolution. Despite being banned in Paris early in the century, they quickly became part of the curricula of universities. Oxford, where this manuscript was probably made, was a leading centre for the study of Aristotle. All students had to read set texts of Aristotle's treatises with commentary, of which this book is an example. It is exceptional, though, because it is quite richly decorated with unusual images. Furthermore, it belonged to Nicholas of Cusa, a German theologian and cardinal, in the 15th century. Aristotle believed that a perfect, eternal force existed outside the physical universe and that the philosopher could learn of this force by observing details of the physical world. Part of his idea was great for Christianity: God was the perfect, eternal force. The other part caused problems because case-by-case (empirical) study of the physical world may sometimes find that nature contradicts Church doctrines set down as absolute truths. There was quite a bit of work to do to get Aristotle settled in with Christianity. Some of the pictures in this manuscript hint at the tensions. The picture in the first letter beginning 'On the Heavens and Earth' does not challenge the medieval Christian view of the universe. The earth is in the centre, the celestial spheres (rotating levels of the heavens which hold the planets and stars) surround it and Christ holds it all together. The strange disc (below the letter) made up of profiles of a human face and the animals posing upon the rising scrolls are difficult to explain. It has been suggested that the artist added motifs from other types of science books, such as bestiaries and 'marvels' books (on bizarre inhabitants of other lands).
Source : British Library
One simple doubt. If printing is a 15th century art, how come this book is ascribed the year 1265? Is it a manuscript and not a printed book? If one were to attempt to identify books which were game-changers for humanity whether in the East or the West, would this be one of them?
@RBSI: I know this is a curtain raiser. What is really coming on this topic to download?
Shekar : This is a manuscript....and I didnt quite get your second question?
@RBSI: Thanks and sorry for the typo! I meant to ask which book you intended to introduce after you put up the picture of this manuscript!
Humboldt's Cosmos... and Carl Sagan's brilliant video on the Universe. The idea of perspectives !
Aah!
@Shekhar: Block printing was known from early times. Some Buddhist monks had the "Cult of Books" and introduced the technology to China. It was in use in the Middle East/Baghdad by the 10th century. Movable type was invented in the 15th century and brought down the cost of printing drastically - over a million books were printed and sold by 1500 CE. For a Help Desk for the the Bound Book see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ
Qamar : Do you suppose this is Block Printing then? And thanks for the hilarious video....wonder what language they were speaking though?
RBSI: On closer examination, this looks like the work of a scribe and the technologist got locked out. This makes sense for the year1265 - the Pax Mongolica brought about by the sons/grandsons of Genghis Khan led to increased globalization and agricultural in Eurasia, with an explosive increase in population and monasteries (and scriptoriums). The 14th century, with the Black Death, which sent 25-50% of Europe's population to an early death, saw greater adoption of block printing because of labor shortage... sounds gruesome - sorry. Glad you liked the video - the language is Norwegian.
Thanks...and History IS gruesome ! Norwegian though is definitely not music to one's ears, isnt it. The sounds were really foreign to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eIatBBVjzI&NR=1
Its funny....but I dont get the relation to do this post??
Just as the book fromQamar's post is a curiosity, so is the typewriter from that 5 second video...
RBSI ...if I am not mistaken this could well be an illuminated manuscript .. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminated_manuscript