RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM
SULLIVAN, EDMUND J., Illustrator
Published by E. P. Dutton and Company [1913], New York, 1913
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Phillip J. Pirages Rare Books (ABAA), McMinnville, OR, U.S.A.
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About this Item
Description:
260 x 195 mm. (10 1/4 x 7 3/4"). XV, [I] pp., 75 leaves.Translated by Edward FitzGerald. With an introduction by the artist. Publisher's red cloth decorated in gilt, with the original red dust jacket printed in gold. With color frontispiece and 75 black & white plates by Edmund J. Sullivan. Potter 101; Paas 1730; Harthan, "The History of the Illustrated Book," pp. 240-41; Ray, "England," pp. 186-87. ?A little rubbing to one corner, but A SPECTACULAR COPY in a faded, slightly frayed, and repaired (but still very decent) jacket. This is an exceptionally pleasing copy, in the original dust jacket, of a Rubaiyat with each of its 75 quatrains illustrated by an artist Ray calls one of the very greatest English illustrators in line drawing and a person who had "an insight into the texts with which he dealt that few artists could match." The Rubaiyat was a favorite project for Sullivan (1869-1933), who began work on the illustrations around 1900. The first printing with his images was issued in London by Methuen in 1913, with our first American edition following before the year was out. Ray notes that before Sullivan began on illustrations for a book, "he would first read and analyze it with great thoroughness." The preface here demonstrates this, as Sullivan discusses the work's themes, its parallels with the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, and the felicity of the language in FitzGerald s four versions (he preferred the first, used here). Ray considered Sullivan's career "one of the most substantial and distinguished in English art," and noted the influence of his work. That influence continued into 1960s pop culture: Sullivan's illustration for the 26th quatrain, featuring a skeleton bedecked with roses, inspired the album cover of the Grateful Dead's untitled 1971 album, commonly referred to as "Skull & Roses"; it became one of the most iconic symbols of the band. First American Edition with Sullivan's Illustrations. Seller Inventory # ST17640-171
Bibliographic Details
Title: RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM
Publisher: E. P. Dutton and Company [1913], New York
Publication Date: 1913