Le Tir a l’Arc. Mis en lumier par George Braque.

Authors: Daisetz T. Suzuki, E. Herrigel, Georges Braque.

Illustrator : George Braque

Publisher : Paris Louis Broder,1960.

Artist's book "Le Tir à l'Arc" (The Art of Archery).

Selected texts from D.T Suzuki and E. Herrigel "Le Zen dans l'art cavaleresque" 1955 and aphorisms and thoughts by George Braque from his own notebooks "Cahiers d'Art de 1917 a 1952".

Illustrated by Braque with eight lithographs, of which six in color, one in black, and one in pink and white printed across the spread endpapers with a mirrored composition; together with a black‑and‑white etching on the front wrappers and two woodcuts on gray paper, also reproduced on the protective chemise and box.

Limited edition of 165 numbered copies, printed on vélin de chiffon handmade at the Moulin d'Ambert, with cover wrappers in Antaimoro paper. Loose as issued, preserved in the original silk‑covered hard chemise, and housed within the original Japanese‑style silk folding case with ivory clasp.

Braque's images fuse seamlessly with the accompanying Zen texts, creating a visual meditation on focus, intuition, and the "empty mind" that illuminates the writings of D.T. Suzuki and Eugen Herrigel. Herrigel's Zen in the Art of Archery, a classic account of his six‑year immersion in Japanese archery (Kyūdō) during the 1920s, explores the discipline as a gateway to understanding Zen Buddhism, while Suzuki, one of the most influential figures in bringing Zen thought to the West, provides the philosophical and spiritual framework that illuminates archery as a contemplative path. Woven into this dialogue are Braque's own aphorisms and reflections, with their emphasis on nuance, intuition, and the quiet interior space from which art emerges. Together, these elements create a rare and compelling bridge between modern abstract art and Zen philosophy. In very good condition but some age spotting on the paper inside. A small restoration has been carried out on the top inch of the spine of the endpaper, barely visible.

Reference: Dora Vallier 153