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 In writing Painting in Pakistan,
Ijaz ul Hassan has, in effect, painted a canvas that stretches
from the days of the British raj to contemporary Pakistan. On
this canvas are represented the significant art movements as well as
painters associated with them.
With history as his backdrop,
the writer traces the development of painting in the subcontinent
through a study of Buddhist, Pala, Gujerati, Mughal, Punjab-Pahari
and Sikh schools. In a way these schools were instrumental in
helping painters in their search for identity, in an environment of
alienation created during the colonial period.
With the creation of Pakistan
in 1947, the post independence painters felt freer to explore newer
sensibilities.
Highly individualistic styles,
expressive of the artists' own ethos, were suddenly seen on
canvases. At the same time certain painters continued their pursuit
of reality with a keen sensitivity to light and tone. And then there
were artists who became critical commentators of the human
condition.
Tough admitting his preference for "reality"
in art, Ijaz ul Hassan doses full justice to the works of all
contemporary artists. Written and researched over a period of
20 years, Painting in Pakistan is the first publication of
its kind. It not only gives an overview but also insights into
the works these painters. As an academic, Ijaz ul Hassan
approaches his subject with a great deal of knowledge and
understanding. Moreover, with the inclusion of 106 colour
plates and 49 monochrome reproductions, the book amply and
richly illustrates the themes explored by Ijaz ul Hassan in this
elegantly written book.
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