A rare astronomical work by Flemish priest Ferdinand Verbiest is being auctioned in London. Verbiest was a 17th-century Jesuit, who worked as an astronomer, teacher and diplomat at the court of the Chinese emperor. At the time, China was a closed empire where foreigners were not welcome. Auction house Christie's is hoping for a buyer who will pay between "£250,000 and £300,000".
Rare astronomical work by Flemish astronomer Ferdinand Verbiest auctioned at Christie’s in London
The work being auctioned in London consists of 2 volumes of fine woodcuts on Chinese paper, bound in golden yellow silk. They are drawings of astronomical instruments that Verbiest designed for the emperor. The work also includes drawings depicting other European novelties, such as the compass and the pulley mechanism.
Verbiest made the drawings in 1673 when the Chinese emperor appointed him as court astronomer. That happened after he proved he possessed better astronomical knowledge than Chinese astronomers. Astronomy was an important discipline in a country where the emperor was considered the "son of heaven". As head of the astronomical office, every year Verbiest also had to compile a calendar, which was distributed throughout the empire.
One of Verbiest's first tasks was to design a series of new astronomical instruments for the roof of the imperial astronomical observatory.
The instruments, preserved until today, are a wonderful blend of European knowledge and Chinese design, with lions, dragons and other Oriental motifs.
Distinguished recipient
The drawings were sent to Europe during Verbiest's own lifetime as proof of the exceptional position that the Jesuits occupied at court and the scientific work they carried out there. In return for Ferdinand Verbiest's commitment to the emperor, the Jesuits were given permission to carry out conversion work in China, albeit on a modest scale.
Professor-emeritus Noël Golvers of the Verbiest Institute at Leuven University has been able to locate some 45 copies of this work. Most of them are incomplete. "Usually there is a title page in Latin, for European readers. For the tsar of Russia, who also received a copy, he described all the drawings in Latin."
Parisian collector
Golvers is also familiar with the copy being auctioned in London. "It probably comes from a large private collection belonging to a collector in Paris. As there is no Latin title page and it is bound in yellow silk, it was probably intended for a distinguished Chinese recipient." That may have been a high ranking mandarin or a member of the imperial family: Verbiest's calendars intended for the emperor and his family were also bound in yellow silk.
According to auction house Christie's, a work like this rarely comes up for auction. It is expected to fetch at least £250,000 (just under €300,000). "Several times we, at Leuven University, have tried to purchase a copy," says Golvers, "but unfortunately it was not within our means."