TIRANA, Jan. 23- Prior to the communist regime in Albania, the government and intellectuals of the ‘30s were trying to establish an High Academy for Fine Arts with an enhanced enthusiasm. These undertaken steps were published at scientific and literary newspaper Minerva on July and Aug. of 1933. More specifically the ideas would be inspired by the rare talents of the time, both nationally and internationally appraised. One of these were also Odhise Paskali, one of the best sculptors of the time.
Another impressive painter who started out making a name for himself during the ‘30s, but whose career also developed during communism, was Sadik Kaceli. Kaceli is introduced at the cover of Minerva with a representative painting of an Albanian highlander dressed in a national costume, with a peaceful and lovely pose while a rifle rests on his shoulder. The painting is distinguished by a compositional perfection and a unique colors development, which with its light colors create a harmony and elegance in this young man’s portrait.
This picture was painted by Kaceli while he was studying under Italian painter Mario Ridola at the Tirana Drawing School. All the works of the students at this school published at Minerva speak of talents that powerfully display themselves at this time, and who left marks as establishers of an Albanian bright art.
The Minerva newspaper directed by Nebil Cika and with his wife Ikbale Cika as administrator, also uncovers works from other Albanian authors. They appear quite talented, however they are forgotten today. This pictorial art with volatile beginnings were the day’s theme. In Minerva’s pages apart from the development of these talents and their fame, it was also stressed on the necessity of a Fine Arts Academy.
It was due to these students and professors of the Tirana Drawing School that continued the artistic dream of the ‘30s generation, by establishing the Fine Arts Academy and giving it a celebrated name despite of the ideologic censorships.
“Notice these works and you will clearly see that this school should be rightfully called the Fine Arts Academy. […] We have today four Albanian boys that display rigorous skills and a distinguishable talent in their works.,’’ writes in its ninth number the newspaper Minerva.
The newspaper writes about how the school was positively contributing to the growth of the Albanian artist and art. It mentions the names of Kaceli and Strazirniri distinguishable in visual arts such as painting and drawing, and Lazari and Makoci in sculpture. It then goes to make an analysis on the work done with the portraits, stressing on the facial expressions and animation of the characters.
“The old man with beads on his hands, has the expression of the sad man, who however, seems to find consolation by demeaning to fatality. The boy has a face which reminds you of the boys grown without having felt the sweet love of him, e from this fact don’t have a laughing face,’’ writes the author in the same article about the sculptures.
The author stresses on the fact that by this time (when the article was written in ‘33), it was the second year from when the Drawing School was opened, so the progress was more than celebratory. In the article was also mentioned that the following year the students would start learning anatomy, and the two most talented artists would be sent abroad to perfect their style.
Except of appraising the Albanian students and their work, the article appraises the noble mission the teacher and school leader Ridola was doing, but always linking it to the distinguished talent of the young Albanian students. Ridola appears as having a major contribution both with raising the School as a proper institution in Albania, and mostly in shaping the tastes of Albanian regarding fine arts and its collection.
The author mentions his visits in 98 house saloons, on which he almost never saw paintings or sculptures, and those he saw weren’t from Albanian artists. There used to be the Friends of Art Club which sought to establish an artistic taste among the Albanian public, but which somehow failed. That is why a pressure and higher expectation was imposed on Ridola and his school, which managed to eventually establish the Fine Arts Academy, and produce renowned artists who left a mark in future artworks that we have today.
