L`Offrande Lyrique

Rabindranath Tagore, L'Offrande Lyrique, Paris: Les Pharmaciens Bibliophiles, 1993

pp. 96 in 12 sections, illustrated with 17 colour lithographs, 5 of them double-page, each with titles in Bengali and French printed on the reverse of each lithograph, each of the lithograph has a descriptive text in French printed on blank 4 pages; the sheets are all unstitched as issued and contained in a Saffron ragpaper chemise with the signatures of Rabindranath Tagore and Sakti Burman in Bengali impressed on its cover. This is contained in a blue velvet box with the title and names embossed in silver on the spine.
15.5 x 12 in (38.7 x 30 cm)

Choix de Poemes traduits de l'Anglais par ANDRE GIDE [i. e. Lyric Offering or Gitanjali - selection of poems translated from English by Andre Gide]

The full book was issued in a limited edition to 190 numbered copies printed on vellum Rives [some sheets carry the firm's watermark] with deckled edges, signed by the artist Sakti Burman in pencil on the colophon. 150 copies of the edition [numbered 1-150] were meant for the members of Les Pharmaciens Bibliophiles and 40 [numbered I-XL] for the collaborators in the production.

This is 129 from a limited edition of 150 copies.

In addition, 45 suites of lithographs were drawn, on arches, including 20 for the company and 25
for the artist. All copies and all suites are signed by Sakti Burman.

This suite of lithographs is limited to 16 from a limited edition of 45. Each lithograph signed 'SAKTI BURMAN' lower right and inscribed '16/45' lower left

Les Pharmaciens Bibliophiles came into being in 1928 when some of the members of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Paris, passionate about art and literature, decided to found an association to publish and distribute among its members luxuriously-produced limited-edition illustrated books which were not meant to be sold or distributed outside its circle.