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Secondary sourcePainting1271

Avicenna (Subtilties of Truth manuscript image)

Beckwith · 1271

A 1271 manuscript drawing of Avicenna, among the earliest surviving images of him, showing how the medieval Islamic world pictured the scholar.

One of the earliest surviving images of Avicenna, showing how he was remembered and honoured generations after his death.

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Grayscale drawing of a bearded man in a tall wrapped turban and long robe, holding a long curved stick in one hand and a small object in the other. Faded Arabic script and the number 82 appear at top left.
Avicenna, from the manuscript 'Subtilties of Truth,' 1271.

About this source

What it is

This drawing of Avicenna comes from a medieval manuscript titled 'Subtilties of Truth,' dated 1271, more than two centuries after his death. It shows a bearded man in a tall turban and long robe, holding objects in his hands, with Arabic script beside him.

Why it matters

As one of the earliest surviving depictions of Avicenna, this image shows how later generations imagined and honoured him as a scholar, long after his lifetime. It reflects his lasting reputation rather than his actual appearance, since no contemporary portrait is known.

Look closer

  • Since this was made over 200 years after Avicenna died, what might it tell us more about than his real appearance?
  • What do the clothing and objects he holds suggest about how scholars were imagined at the time?
  • Why might an illustrator include Arabic script alongside the figure?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Avicenna on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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