Bidspirit auction | PERSIAN SCHOOL, ASTRONOMICAL MANUSCRIPT LEAF:

PERSIAN SCHOOL, ASTRONOMICAL MANUSCRIPT LEAF: DIAGRAM OF A SOLAR ECLIPSE. CIRCA 20TH CENTURY. - This item is a single manuscript leaf featuring a detailed astronomical diagram, likely originating from the 20th century scientific treatise such as the Aja'ib al-makhluqat (Wonders of Creation). The diagram is executed in ink and watercolour on paper, illustrating the mechanics of a solar eclipse through concentric celestial spheres and planetary alignments. A yellow disk represents the sun (qurs-e aftab) and a blue disk represents the moon (jurm-e mah), with a blue-green wash depicting the conical shadow or umbra (shua-e makhruti). Labels in Nasta'liq script identify various astronomical terms, including the radial line (khatt-e shua'i), the epicycle (falak-e tadwir), and the eccentric sphere (falak-e kharij-e markaz). The lower section of the leaf contains four lines of Persian calligraphic text in Nasta'liq script, which provides instructions for calculating the duration of a solar eclipse's astrological influence based on its length in hours. Approximately 52.8 x 42.5cm