Important autograph manuscripts on Chinese astronomy, and correspondence. 18th century - photo 1
Important autograph manuscripts on Chinese astronomy, and correspondence. 18th century - photo 2
Important autograph manuscripts on Chinese astronomy, and correspondence. 18th century - photo 3
Important autograph manuscripts on Chinese astronomy, and correspondence. 18th century - photo 4
Important autograph manuscripts on Chinese astronomy, and correspondence. 18th century - photo 5

Important autograph manuscripts on Chinese astronomy, and correspondence. 18th century

Sold
£ 76 200
Auction dateClassic
21.09.2023 10:00UTC +01:00
Auctioneer
Sotheby´s
Event location
United Kingdom, London
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Archive
ID 1028529
Lot 220 | Important autograph manuscripts on Chinese astronomy, and correspondence. 18th century
Highly important collection of autograph manuscript working papers, CONSTITUTING THE GREATER PART OF HIS WRITINGS ON CHINESE ASTRONOMY AND INCLUDING MANY OF HIS MOST FAMOUS WORKS AS WELL AS MUCH OF HIS CORRESPONDENCE FROM CHINA, in 12 volumes

A SPECTACULAR COLLECTION OF LETTERS AND MANUSCRIPTS BY THE GREATEST ASTRONOMER AND HISTORIAN AMONG THE FRENCH JESUITS IN CHINA IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. FROM THE LIBRARY OF SIR THOMAS PHILLIPPS.

The involvement of the Jesuits in China, from the sixteenth century onwards, was a development without parallel in the history of the contact between civilizations. For the Chinese emperors the Jesuits were valued as bearers of occidental science which might enrich China's knowledge; for the Jesuits their scientific accomplishments were used as a means of gaining access to the mission fields of China. Antoine Gaubil (1689-1759), born at Gaillac near Toulouse, is widely considered, including by Alexander von Humboldt, to have been the most learned of all the Jesuit missionaries in China. He arrived there on 26 June 1722, six months before the death of Emperor Kangxi, whose 61-year reign laid the foundation for an extended period of political stability and economic prosperity. Having quickly mastered the Chinese and Manchu languages, Gaubil soon impressed the Chinese scientists by his vast knowledge in the fields of astronomy, mathematics, physics, literature and theology. Known also by his Chinese name of Sun Kiun-yung (宋君榮), he remained in Beijing for the remainder of his life.

Historically, there were two main recipients in Europe of news and artefacts from China: the Vatican and the Jesuits' own college in Clermont. In 1764 the Jesuits in France were suppressed, and the Society's property sequestered. In the same year the renowned library of the College of Clermont was purchased en bloc by the insatiable Dutch collector Gerard Meerman (1722-1771). On Meerman's death, his library, then one of the most famous collections in Europe, was dispersed in a series of auctions from 8 June to 3 July 1824. These were attended in person by Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), occasionally described as the greatest collector of books and manuscripts that the world has ever known. The present manuscripts were first listed in the Phillipps catalogue under the number 1909. and then arbitrarily rebound in boards under the numbers 17175, 17391, 17478, and 17528-17533. They have since been rebound in twelve volumes.
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