Masterpieces of Lahore Museum
Subtitle: (Revised Version)
Series: no
Publisher: The Youth International
Published: 2019
Place of publication: New York, USA
Format: ebook
Number of pages: 141
Copyright date: 2019
Description: A Visual has a strong power to stimulate a still mind. This is particularly true of museum objects. They communicate history. They transport a viewer to a different civilization. A pictorial presentation of an object in a book can be equally effective. It can also whet the appetite for the real thing.
The Lahore Museum abounds with thousands of antiquities of great charm to spellbind the visitor. Its treasure deserves to be known to everybody interested in the cultural achievements of man. The Museum collection relates to the cultural history of the people of a particular region. But such a heritage belongs to all mankind. It represents one record of human endeavour. The international community needs t known and to revel in it. Its universal language and appeal also endow in with the means of international communication and understanding. 
Such was also the sentiments expressed by Dr Prem K. Kasaju, Director Representative, UNESCO, Islamabad, on the occasion of his first visit to Lahore Museum. He had come on the invitation of his former colleague Mr Ishtiaq Khan, whom himself has good wishes for the development of the Museum. Dr Kasaju was greatly impressed with the cultural wealth he saw and wanted the Museum to become better known worldwide. 
In fact, it was at Dr Kasaju’s suggestion and with his approval that it was decided that the present book be published. He hoped that the book would be a source of inspiration for all, who go through the pages and appreciate the important collection of this Museum. Thus, the world community could be motivated to assist in overcoming the problems of conservation of its extraordinary treasures. 
It is due to the generous grant made by UNESCO, Islamabad, that the necessary and long overdue production of this book has become possible. But in order to stay within the available resources, our of a large collection of the Museum, reproduction of more than a hundred masterpieces could be included in the book of them are local products, but a good number also have their origin in other parts of the world. These objects largely represent the multi-regional aspects of artistic heritage. Their selection has been made only on the basis of historical and aesthetic value. It is hoped that the readers will find this volume useful for affording a glimpse and an initial understanding of the treasures present in the Museum. The aim was not to conduct a penetrating study on a wide-ranging history of civilization, but only to present a modest introduction to many facts or art. Housed in the Museum’s collection. The book should serve the purpose of satisfying art-lovers and the general readers interested in the t aesthetic beauty of a rich collection. 
The book is divided into various sections according to the subject matter. At the beginning of each section, a brief introduction with illustrations has been given. A short description of each object has been catalogued at the end. 
The time at my disposal was extremely short for a project of this nature. I am grateful to Dr Kasaju, Director / Representative UNESCO, who gave me constant encouragement and moral support for the early completion of the book. He has also been kind to write the foreword for the book. I thank Mr Ishtiaq Khan, former Director-General, Archaeology & Museums, Government of Pakistan, and former UNESCO Regional Advisor for Cultural in Asia and the Pacific, who cheerfully lent a helping hand in the completion of the book.
The sincere encouragement received from Mr Inamullah Khan Niazi, M.N.A., Chairman, Board of Governors of Lahore Museum, and Publication Committee who took a serious interest in completing the job according to the prescribed formalities, especially, Mrs Rukhsana Bhutta, Deputy Secretary, IC&YA Deptt. Mr, Rubina Naseer, Deputy renowned artist, who volunteered his services to prepare the dummy of the book, design the sketches and advise on technical details.