Tacuinum Sanitatis (Vienna Codex 2396)

The Tacuinum Sanitatis in Vienna, known as Codex 2396, is a late medieval illuminated manuscript focused on health and daily living. It currently resides in the Austrian National Library in Vienna. The text is organized around practical advice regarding food, plants, and human activities.

The Latin Tacuinum manuscripts derive from an 11th-century Arabic medical treatise known as the 'Taqwim al-sihha'. This foundational work was originally written by the Christian physician Ibn Butlan in Baghdad. The Latin translations adapted Ibn Butlan's medical wisdom for a European audience.

Vienna Codex 2396 organizes its guidance around the practical elements of medieval health and daily life. It includes detailed descriptions of various foods, medicinal plants, and seasonal activities. The manuscript pairs these texts with lavish illustrations depicting daily life and agricultural practices.

Yes, Vienna Codex 2396 is just one of several surviving illuminated Tacuinum manuscripts from the late medieval period. Other notable versions are held in libraries and collections in cities like Paris, Rome, and Liège. These manuscripts are prized by art historians for their detailed depictions of 14th-century secular life.