Janaq Paço

Janaq Paço on a 2003 stamp of Albania
Nude (1964) by Paço from the National Art Gallery, Tirana, on a 2011 stamp sheet of Albania[1]
Scanderbeg with the people (1982) by Paço's at Skanderbeg Museum in Krujë

Janaq Paço (14 March 1914,[2] Konitsa, Kingdom of Greece – 11 July 1991, Tirana, Albania) was one of the best known Albanian sculptors of the 20th century. Some of his prominent works include the monuments of Skanderbeg in Kruja, Tirana, and Pristina, Kosovo (reproduced post-mortem), as well as The Gladiators.[2]

Life

Paço was of Aromanian origins.[3] He studied first in his home town and then at the high school in Thessaloniki, Greece. Afterwards he entered the Athens School of Fine Arts in Athens. During his studies, Paço worked and studied with the Greek modern sculptor Costandinos Dimitriadis, himself a student of Auguste Rodin, and others.[citation needed]

He went to Albania in 1941.[citation needed] After World War II, he worked as a sculpture teacher in Artistic Lyceum "Jordan Misja" in Tirana, where he would teach all his life until retirement.

Paço was one of the founders of the Albanian sculpture school and tradition.[4]

In addition to his realistic sculptures, Paço created also many nude sculptures during the 1960s and 1970s, and was obliged to destroy them, fearing punishment from the Communist Regime.[4] During this time he was criticized by other members of the Albanian League of Writers and Artists. This led him to gradually dissociate himself from the League.[4]

Bibliography of art works

Main part of his work:

Awards and prizes

See also

References

  1. ^ Art and (Gay) Sex in Communist Albania. wordpress.com. 19 January 2016
  2. ^ a b c “Gladitorët”, porositur dhe paguar nga Arkeologjiku i Durrësit Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. durreslajm.com (26 August 2013)
  3. ^ "Minoriteti Vllah/Arumun | MINORITETET NË SHQIPËRI". Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Broken "nudes" of Janaq Paço got discovered. (in Albanian). shqiptarja.com, 18 December 2012
  5. ^ Skanderbeg statue. inyourpocket.com