Vangjush Mio
Encyclopedia
Vangjush Mio was an Albania
n impressionist
painter. He was the brother of the Albanian film director
and actor
Socrat Mio.
, Albania
. In 1908 due to economic reasons he had to leave together with his brother to Bucharest
, Romania
. He was active member of the albanian artist colony in the Romanian capital and in 1915 he started his studies of Fine Arts at the Bucharest National University of Arts
. He successfully completed his education in 1919 and in the same year he opened his first personal exhibition in Bucharest. In 1920 he returned for a few months to his native country and exhibited his works in Korçë. This was the first art exhibition in public in the whole country. In September of the same year he went to Rome
. As a great admirer of the Italian impressionists of the 19th and early 20th century, he enrolled at the Royal Academy of San Luca
. However, financial problems forced him to interrupt the studies and to get back to Korçë. There he took a job as an art teacher at the French school, where he taught among other pupils the future leader of the country Enver Hoxha
.
Thanks to a government scholarship, he could return to Rome and in 1924 successfully complete the studies with the graduation. After that Mio decided to return to his birth place Korçë, which at that time was the cultural capital of Albania.
During his life time he participated on numerous exhibitions throughout the whole country, in 1942 even in Bari
, Italy
. The last exhibition organized by himself, was a retrospective of his work and took place in November 1957 in Tirana. A few days later, on the 30th of December 1957, Mio died in Tirana due to complications caused by jaundice.
Vangjush Mio was the first impressionist painter of Albania. He was known especially for his landscape paintings
and is considered the best Albanian landscape painter of the 20th Century. His favorite subjects were the cities Korçë
, Pogradec
and the surrounding area, but he immortalized in his works also other cities like Tirana
, Elbasan
, Himarë
, Berat
and Gjirokastër
.
Besides landscapes Mio was brilliant also in portrait painting
.
Mio had a remarcable career as a painter and produced over 400 drawings and 130 paintings within 40 years. Among 60 items of his work can be admired at the National Gallery of Figurative Arts of Albania
in Tirana. Further paintings are presented by his daughter Rozeta in his 2010 renovated house in Korçë, now known as the Museum Vangjush Mio. In 1994 twenty one paintings were stolen from that museum and are still missing.
In 1965 the Albanian documentary Vangjush Mio, piktor i popullit was produced, treating about his life and work.
The cultural center of Korçë was named after him.
Since 2007, always at the end of October the Mio’s Days Festival takes place in Korçë. During four days the city and the surrounding area are open studios and people can admire the paintings by artists from Albania and abroad . On the last day of the festival all the paintings are exhibited in the cultural center.
Since some years the winners of a nationwide competition of Fine Arts are awarded with the Vangjush Mio Price.
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n impressionist
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
painter. He was the brother of the Albanian film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Socrat Mio.
Life and work
Mio was born on the 3rd of March 1891 in KorçëKorçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. In 1908 due to economic reasons he had to leave together with his brother to Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. He was active member of the albanian artist colony in the Romanian capital and in 1915 he started his studies of Fine Arts at the Bucharest National University of Arts
Bucharest National University of Arts
The Bucharest National University of Arts is a university in Bucharest preparing students in fine arts.The university has three faculties:* The Faculty of Fine Arts* The Faculty of Decorative Arts and Design* The Faculty of History and Theory of Art...
. He successfully completed his education in 1919 and in the same year he opened his first personal exhibition in Bucharest. In 1920 he returned for a few months to his native country and exhibited his works in Korçë. This was the first art exhibition in public in the whole country. In September of the same year he went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. As a great admirer of the Italian impressionists of the 19th and early 20th century, he enrolled at the Royal Academy of San Luca
Accademia di San Luca
The Accademia di San Luca, was founded in 1577 as an association of artists in Rome, under the directorship of Federico Zuccari, with the purpose of elevating the work of "artists", which included painters, sculptors and architects, above that of mere craftsmen. Other founders included Girolamo...
. However, financial problems forced him to interrupt the studies and to get back to Korçë. There he took a job as an art teacher at the French school, where he taught among other pupils the future leader of the country Enver Hoxha
Enver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
.
Thanks to a government scholarship, he could return to Rome and in 1924 successfully complete the studies with the graduation. After that Mio decided to return to his birth place Korçë, which at that time was the cultural capital of Albania.
During his life time he participated on numerous exhibitions throughout the whole country, in 1942 even in Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The last exhibition organized by himself, was a retrospective of his work and took place in November 1957 in Tirana. A few days later, on the 30th of December 1957, Mio died in Tirana due to complications caused by jaundice.
Vangjush Mio was the first impressionist painter of Albania. He was known especially for his landscape paintings
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
and is considered the best Albanian landscape painter of the 20th Century. His favorite subjects were the cities Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
, Pogradec
Pogradec
Pogradec is a city in southeastern Albania, situated on the shores of Ohrid lake. It is the capital of the District of Pogradec, in the County of Korçë, located at 40.87°N and 20.70°E with a population of around 30,000 . The total area of the district is 725 km². Pogradec alone occupies about...
and the surrounding area, but he immortalized in his works also other cities like Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, Elbasan
Elbasan
Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
, Himarë
Himarë
Himarë is a bilingual region and municipality along the Albanian Riviera in southern Albania and part of the District of Vlorë. Apart from the town of Himarë, the region consists of 7 other villages: Dhërmi, Pilur, Kudhës, Qeparo, Vuno, Iljas, and Palasë....
, Berat
Berat
Berat is a town located in south-central Albania. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of around 71,000 people. It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat...
and Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
.
Besides landscapes Mio was brilliant also in portrait painting
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
.
Mio had a remarcable career as a painter and produced over 400 drawings and 130 paintings within 40 years. Among 60 items of his work can be admired at the National Gallery of Figurative Arts of Albania
National Gallery of Figurative Arts of Albania
The National Arts Gallery of Albania has a fund of over 4,000 works of art by Albanian and foreign authors, spanning seven centuries of Albanian cultural heritage.-See also:*Skanderbeg Museum*National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania...
in Tirana. Further paintings are presented by his daughter Rozeta in his 2010 renovated house in Korçë, now known as the Museum Vangjush Mio. In 1994 twenty one paintings were stolen from that museum and are still missing.
Honors
Vangjush Mio was honored with the title Painter of the People (Piktor i Popullit).In 1965 the Albanian documentary Vangjush Mio, piktor i popullit was produced, treating about his life and work.
The cultural center of Korçë was named after him.
Since 2007, always at the end of October the Mio’s Days Festival takes place in Korçë. During four days the city and the surrounding area are open studios and people can admire the paintings by artists from Albania and abroad . On the last day of the festival all the paintings are exhibited in the cultural center.
Since some years the winners of a nationwide competition of Fine Arts are awarded with the Vangjush Mio Price.