Why was Shkodra the first city to become the cradle of Albanian realistic art? Why did Kolë Idromeno emerge as the first Albanian realistic artist, and why were the youth of Shkodra the first among Albanians to dream of becoming painters?

These intriguing questions were explored during a meeting with researcher Eleni Laperi at the National Museum of Photography “Marubi.”

The researcher, an expert in visual arts and author of the book “Kolë Idromeno, the Founder of Albanian Realistic Art,” discussed the life of an artist like Kolë Idromeno. The event titled “When the Youth of Shkodra Began to Dream of Becoming Painters” was part of the activities celebrating the European Heritage Days, supported by the Ministry of Economy, Culture, and Innovation.

The “Marubi” Museum noted on its website that, “when you start working to understand the life of an artist like Kolë Idromeno, you realize how important it is to clarify the facts, to distinguish legend from historical reality, and to resist the temptation to embellish the truth. Even legends require you to find the historical causes that created them.”

These are key points that highlight the process of understanding and documenting historical, geopolitical, economic, and cultural developments that created the conditions for the establishment of the first photography studio and the first atelier of Albanian realistic art in Shkodra.

The “Marubi” Museum, along with other cultural institutions in the country, has organized several activities in the context of the European Cultural Heritage Days.

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