CARREL (Alexis) - CIRY (Michel) La Prière. Paris, Bièvres: Pierre de Tartas, 1978. - In-folio, dark green imitation leather, double gilt fillet framing and gilt diamonds in center on covers, ornate ribbed spine, embossed composition in center of first flyleaf, green moiré silk lining and endpapers, gilt head, untrimmed, slipcase (publisher's binding). Fine edition of this study on prayer by physician Alexis Carrel, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1912. Each page is illustrated with drawings of praying hands or figures, with the exception of page 45, which depicts an interior garden. All the illustrations, with the exception of the repeated hands, are signed by the artist in the plate. A chapel copy, one of the few printed on japon nacré blanc, specially printed for the typographer Pierre Jean Mathan, who printed the text and illustrations. It includes this double autograph dispatch opposite the justification: "Pour Pierre Jean Mathan, // dont le travail est si beau // Avec ma haute estime et mon amitié // Michel Ciry." - "Avec toutes mes amitiés // P. de Tartas // XII. 78." Spine of binding faded and rubbed. Provenance: Pierre Jean Mathan Collection.