Neither Islamic Nor Persian: A History of Muslim Painting
by Suhail Zaheer Lari
‘A systematic and very comprehensive account of Muslim art, beginning with the birth of Islam, winding down to the Timurid period, the Ottoman empire, and ending with the Mughals and Emperor Aurangzeb. Lari is extremely thorough, meticulously recording an amazing number of manuscripts and paintings, their dates, the rulers they were created under, and often why they were painted.
After reading the book, it is almost guaranteed that one will drop the established western compartmentalisation and adopt Lart’s view instead.’
Zehra Hamdani, Newsline, August 2002
‘The cover of Suhail Lari’s latest book is deliciously enticing. Indeed the entire layout of the book is unusually beautiful...The same attention has gone into the book’s presentation is amply visible throughout the text of this remarkable little book...The book is a comprehensive guide to the artists and craftsmen behind this typically Muslim art form...it gives the reader a great introduction into the fascinating world of Muslim painting.’
Umbereen Beg-Mirza, She, June 2002
‘The questions Lari has raised ought to be discussed in art schools to educate the minds of the students rather than send them out in the world as glib technicians.’
Dr Akbar Naqvi, Herald, July 2002
‘Suhail Zaheer Lari, besides being an intellectual, is a very interesting person ... The book is very well produced and contains 40 illustrations and 40 colour plates ... and concise history of art under Muslim domains’
Shamim Akhter, The Daily News, 10 June 2002
‘There is excellent research mixed with good story-telling that fills the book with nuggets you don’t find in textbooks ... One can go on and on about the stories in this book which is liberally interspersed with miniature reproductions of good quality.’
Khaled Ahmed, Friday Times, May 10-16, 2002