1901 Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Description

Illustrated, Limited Edition, Uncommon

This is a Limited Edition of 375 total copies, 350 of which are for sale. 'The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam' is the title Edward Fitzgerald gave to his original 1859 translation of a selection of Khayyam's poems. Khayyam's works have been widely translated across the globe. Fitzgerald's translations are fairly loose, he referred to his work on them as 'transmogrification'. Some consider that 'Rubaiyat' could be considered as Fitzgerald's own original poetry that are simply loosely based on Khayyam's quatrains. Omar Khayyam was a Persian mathematician and astronomer, born in the 2nd Century. He was famously known during his lifetime as a mathematician, and has only earned the reputation of a poet after his death. Of the poems attributed to him, some are doubtful in their authenticity, however he gained great popularity after Fitzgerald's translation was published. With a frontispiece and seven plates by Herbert Cole, also known for illustration John Lane's 1900 edition of 'Gulliver's Travels'. Prior owners ink inscription to the recto of the front endpaper, 'Piers Gascoigne 62.'.