‘A Book in the Wilderniss’ – over de Engelse uitgaven van Omar Khayyám

Biegstraaten-Book_in_the_wilderness• Jos Biegstraaten en Jos Coumans
A Book in the Wilderniss
FitzGerald’s Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam – 150 years in print and image

The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám is one of the world’s most famous poems and since its first publication in 1859, more than two thousand editions have appeared. It is a translation, by Edward FitzGerald, of a selection of quatrains ascribed to the Persian poet Omar Khayyám (1048-1131). The poem has inspired artists, illustrators and book designers.
Edward FitzGerald was born 200 years ago and the first version of his translation was published 150 years ago.

The book provides information on a variety of editions that illustrate two important developments in publishing and printing the Rubáiyát: typographical aspects in a number of private press editions, and the various ways in which the Rubáiyát were illustrated.

The main sections in the book highlight
– the four FitzGerald editions and a number of facsimile and pirated editions;
– the succes of the Rubáiyát in the USA and the UK with Mosher, Bradley, the Roycrofters and a number of English private press editions;
– illustrated editions: William Morris and Elihu Vedder; famous illustrators such as Dulac, Pogany; Dutch illustrators;
– miniature editions from the early 20th century until today

Rozenberg Publishers, jan. 2009 / Ingenaaid – 126 pag. – afm. 20 x 13 cm /  ISBN 9789036101141 / Verkoopprijs 19,95 Euro

‘A Book in the Wilderness’ is een Engelstalige uitgave bij de tentoonstelling ‘Omar Khayyám – Een boek in de woestijn – 150 jaar in Engelse vertaling’. Deze was te zien van 31 januari t/m 5 april 2009 in het Museum Meermanno in Den Haag.