Vangjush Mio
(1891-1957) is the first and best known impressionist painter of 20th
century Albania. He is particularly known for his landscape paintings of the
region around Korçe and Pogradec. Vangjush Mio was born in the region around Korça but due to ecominic
reasons, he and his brother had to leave to Bucharest, Romania in 1909. While
being an active member of the Albanian artist colony, he studied at the
Bucharest National University of Arts.
In the same year, he had his first exhibition
in Bucharest, and also had shows at several locations in Albania in the
following years. He continued his study at the Royal Academy of San Luca in
Italy, but financial problems forced him to interrupt his studies and become an
art teacher at the French school in Korçe. In 1924, he returned to Italy to finish his
University degree at the Art school there. Since then, he was a very productive
artist. He created 400 drawings and 130 paintings in his 40 year career. At the
museum, Vangjush’s daughter Rozeta welcomes local and international fans to
enjoy the large collection of Vangjush’s art work, except for 60 paintings,
which are exhibited at the National Museum in Tirana.