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'''Kole Idromeno''' ([[1860]]-[[1939]]) is a famous [[Albania]]n painter, sculptor, photographer, architect, engineer and painter.

{{Short description|Albanian artist}}

<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Kole idromeno.jpg|thumb|250px|Kolë Idromeno <small>Kolë</small>]] -->

{{Infobox artist

| name = Kolë Idromeno

| Born =

| image = Kolë Idromeno (i ri).jpg

| caption = Portrait of Kolë Idromeno, 1890s

| birth_name = Nikolla Kolë Idromeno

| birth_date = 15 August 1860

| birth_place = [[Shkodër]], [[Ottoman Empire]] (now [[Albania]])

| death_date = 12 December 1939

| death_place = [[Shkodër]], [[Albanian Kingdom (1939–43)|Kingdom of Albania]]

| resting_place =

| resting_place_coordinates =

| nationality = [[Albanians|Albanian]]

| field = Painting, sculpture, photography, architecture

| training = [[Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia]] in Venice, [[Kingdom of Italy]]

| movement = [[Realism (arts)|Realism]]

| works = [[Motra Tone]]

| awards =

| module = {{Infobox person|child=yes|signature= Nikoll Idromeno2 (nënshkrim).svg|signature_size=100px}}

}}

'''Nikoll Idromeno''' ({{IPA|sq|ˌniˈkɔɫa kɔl ˈidɾɔˌmɛnɔ}}; 15 August 1860{{snds}}12 December 1939), better known as '''Kolë Idromeno''', was an Albanian painter, sculptor, architect, photographer, [[cinematographer]], composer and engineer during the [[Albanian Renaissance]] in the nineteenth century.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Ferid Hudhri|title=Fine Arts|date=2000|publisher=Sustainable Economic Development Agency|___location=Tirana|pages=97|edition=Genc Myftiu|language=English}}</ref> He is widely regarded as a precursor of both [[Realism (arts)|realism]] and [[landscape art]] in [[Albania]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Ferid Hudhri|title=Albania Through Art|date=2003|publisher=Onufri|___location=Tirana|isbn=9992753676|language=English}}</ref>

He was born in [[Shkoder]]. After working Academy of Fine Arts in [[Venice]], he returned to [[Shkoder]] and initiated the first art exhibition in 1923. He also opened a studio of photography and painted one of Albania's masterpieces '[[Motra Tone]]'.

Kolë Idromeno was born in [[Shkodër]], which was at that time part of the [[Ottoman Empire]]. At age 16, he moved to [[Venice]] for six months and began his studies at the [[Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia]]. Subsequently, he travelled throughout Europe and moved back to Shkodër and worked essentially in a variety of artistic fields. In addition, he made himself strongly committed for the [[Declaration of independence of Albania|Independence of Albania]] whereby he was forced to emigrate to [[Ulcinj]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Nostalgji|date=2001|___location=Tirana|edition=Galeria Kombëtare e Arteve|language=Albanian}}</ref>

{{Albania-stub}}

{{painter-stub}}

Among his important works are a series of paintings where he tried to depict the social aspects of everyday life, customs and religion exactly as it appears. He was also distinguished for its rich use of colours and decorative shades with certain [[Ethnography|ethnographic element]]s and landscapes depicting places in or near [[Shkodër County|Shkodër]].<ref name="ItalianKI"/>

As an architect, he drew the plans for around fifty buildings either private and public. He also designed several industrial facilities, banks, the Rozafa cinema and [[Kafja e Madhe]] café. The [[coffer]]ed ceiling of the [[St. Stephen's Cathedral, Shkodër|St. Stephen's Cathedral]], which is one of the largest cathedrals in the [[Balkans]], was also a design by Kolë Idromeno.

[[Category:Albanian artists]]

== Biography ==

[[sv:Kole Idromeno]]

=== Life ===

[[File:Kole Idromeno Self-portrait.jpg|thumb|left|170px|Self portrait of Kolë Idromeno.]]

Kolë Idromeno was of [[Cham Albanians|Cham]] origin and was born on 15 August 1860 in [[Shkodër]].<ref>Nazarko, M. The last war." Familja e Kole Idromenos ishte nga mё të njohurat e Pargёs sё Çamёrisë... i vendosur nё Shkodёr, ku u martua me Roza Saraçin, nga njё familje qytetare shkodrane... Kola lindi me 15 gusht 1860 dhe vdiq më 12 dhjetor 1939."</ref> The Idromeno family were [[Expulsion of Cham Albanians|Cham Albanians]] who came from [[Parga]], they went to settle in [[Corfu]] later on. Pope Andrea Idromeno was a teacher in Corfu, he was the grandfather of Kolë. In Corfu he compiled and published the history of Parga and [[Souli]], and also helped [[Gregory IV of Athens|Grigor Gjirokastriti]] in translating the [[Gospel]] and the [[New Testament]] into the [[Albanian language]] with the [[Greek alphabet]]. Pope Andrea had two sons, Mihal who was a lawyer and Arsen, who was born in Corfu.

His father, Arsen Idromeno, in 1856 moved to [[Shkodër]], where he practiced his trade as a carpenter and joiner, as well as a self-taught designer and implementer of private constructions in the city, such as the houses of the Lukaj family in Arra Madhe, Rokacollve in Serreq, the building of the Red ''Cross'' , the Illyricum ''lyceum'' and own house in ''Gjujadol.''

''He'' resided most of his lifetime in [[Shkodër]], where he worked as a building contractor and married the local resident Roza Saraçi, the mother of Kolë. In his hometown Shkodër, [[Pjetër Marubi]], a close friend of the family, gave Kolë lessons on photography and started at the age of eleven to paint his first paintings with [[Watercolor painting|watercolors]]. With the compulsion and support of Marubi, he moved to [[Venice]] and stayed for some months at the [[Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia]], the academy of fine arts. Afterwards, he worked in the studio of an Italian painter.<ref name="ItalianKI">{{cite web|title=SHQIPERIA: L'ARTE ATTRAVERSO I SECOLI Analisi delle forme di espressione artistica in Albania, dalla pittura alla maschera|url=http://win.storiain.net/arret/num116/storiain.asp|website=win.storiain.net|___location=Milano|language=Italian}}</ref>

After his studies in [[Venice]], he started to travel around [[Europe]] and decided to move back to his hometown in 1878. There, he engaged himself in a number of different activities, working as in the fields of architecture, sculpture, photography, painting, composing, [[scenic design]] and engineering.

== Career ==

=== Work ===

[[File:Kole Idromeno, Motra tone.jpg|170px|thumb|right|''[[Motra Tone]]'']]

Kolë Idromeno is considered as the founder of [[Realism (arts)|Realism]] in the country and the most important painter of the [[Albanian Renaissance]], which started in the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|title=SHQIPERIA: L'ARTE ATTRAVERSO I SECOLI Analisi delle forme di espressione artistica in Albania, dalla pittura alla maschera|url=http://win.storiain.net/arret/num115/storiain.asp|website=win.storiain.net|___location=Milano|language=Italian}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Guntram Koch|title=DuMont-Kunst-Reiseführer Albanien|date=1989|publisher=DuMont|___location=Cologne|isbn=3770120795|language=German}}</ref> He is referred as [[Michelangelo]] of Albania.<ref name="bweb">{{cite web| accessdate=22 November 2013| language=Albanian| url=http://www.balkanweb.com/kultur%C3%AB/2691/idromeno-arkitekt-ja-veprat-qe-realizoi-160044.html| publisher=BalkanWeb| date=22 November 2013| author=Fatmira Nikolli| title=Idromeno arkitekt, ja veprat që realizoi| trans-title=Idromeno as architect, here are the works he created| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131122151745/http://www.balkanweb.com/kultur%C3%AB/2691/idromeno-arkitekt-ja-veprat-qe-realizoi-160044.html| archivedate=22 November 2013}}</ref> Idromeno established a very active photographic studio and was the first artist to show motion pictures in country in 1912. In addition, he had kept up a correspondence with the [[Lumière brothers]] in Paris. In 1923, Idromeno was the initiator of the first art exhibition in Shkodër and was represented in the first national art exhibition in [[Tirana]] in 1931.

Until 1896, Idromeno painted mainly paintings with religious themes. Afterwards, he painted probably the first Albanian [[Secularism|secular]] and [[Realism (art movement)|realistic]] pictures with illustrating historical events and everyday motifs such as festivals and costumes such as "Dasma Shkodrane". He followed to paint various landscapes, "Oborri i Shtëpisë Shkodrane", and became the first landscape painter of modern [[Albanian art]]. His most famous work is ''[[Motra Tone]]'' (English: "Our Sister"), which shows his sister. This artwork is sometimes referred to as Albanian [[Mona Lisa]]. His works were represented in international exhibitions for example in [[Budapest]], [[Austria-Hungary]] (1900) and New York City, United States (1939).

One of his best works, not very popular, is the portrait of [[Gjergj Kastriot Skënderbeu]] painted in 1890. It is under the ownership of the Shehaj family's art collection. This painting was framed as the centerpiece of the book "51 Albanian Painters" (51 Piktorë Shqiptarë) based on the art collection of the Shehaj family.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-02 |title=Të pathënat e 51 piktorëve shqiptarë, zbulohet koleksioni |url=http://www.panorama.com.al/te-pathenat-e-51-piktoreve-shqiptare-zbulohet-koleksioni/ |access-date=2023-10-03 |language=sq}}</ref>

As an architect, Idromeno has carved his name into many well-known objects in [[Shkodra]]. The list includes Kafja e Madhe, the [[St. Stephen's Cathedral, Shkodër|St. Stephen's Cathedral]], Church of [[Shirokë, Shkodër|Shirokë]], first electrical station of the town, Radovan Building, the Prefecture Building, Mosque of Parrucë and most of the residences of [[villa]]s along the main boulevard in the northern historical district of Shkodra.

== See also ==

{{commons category|Kolë Idromeno}}

* [[Albanian art]]

* [[List of Albanian painters]]

* [[Motra Tone]]

== References ==

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Idromeno, Kole}}

[[Category:1860 births]]

[[Category:1939 deaths]]

[[Category:Albanian artistsarchitects]]

[[Category:Albanian photographers]]

[[Category:Albanian landscape painters]]

[[Category:People from Shkodër]]

[[Category:19th-century Albanian painters]]

[[Category:Albanian male painters]]

[[Category:20th-century Albanian painters]]

[[Category:20th-century Albanian sculptors]]

[[Category:19th-century sculptors]]

[[Category:Albanian people from the Ottoman Empire]]