BOOK

The Art of Omar Khayyam

The story of illustrating FitzGerald's Rubaiyat

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• Printed versions and manuscripts of the verses, which include a cornucopia of fine editions and curiosities, from the jewels of the Great Omar to parodies like the Golfer’s Rubaiyat;

• Visual art stimulated by the Rubaiyat, with illustrative paintings and drawings by artists of all periods up to the present day;

• Music and drama inspired, ranging from song cycles and great oratorios to modern jazz works and crossover world music.

• The people and their amazing stories, like ‘dotty’ FitzGerald, the friend of Tennyson; Cowell, the extraordinary linguist; the Ouseley brothers, travellers and collectors of manuscripts; and, of course, Omar Khayyam himself.

• Relevant to topical discussions in religion and philosphy, such as why we are here and what happens after death

• Literature and thought in the Victorian and Edwardian periods, the impact of Darwin and the growth of scepticism.

• Relations between Iran and the West over a millenium, and how and why they have evolved.

• Life and pre-occupations in the mediaeval Middle East, including the spread of Islam and the Mongol invasion.

• Media companies and publishers     

• Museums and libraries

• Arts organisations and teachers

• Academics and cultural organisations

and many others

 

Illustration with acknowledgement to Edmund Sullivan