Odhise Paskali

Odhise Paskali
Born	22 December 1903(1903-12-22) Permet, Albania
Died	13 September 1985(1985-09-13) (aged 81) Tirana, Albania
Nationality	Albanian
Field	Sculpture, Ceramics
Training	Edoardo Rubino
Works	Skanderbeg Monument (1968)

Odhise Paskali (22 December 1903 – 13 September 1985) is one of the most acclaimed Albanian sculptors. For his contribution, he was awarded the People's Artist of Albania award.

Early life

Paskali was born in 1903 in Përmet, Albania. In 1925 when Paskali realized The Hungry he sent the work along with Face of a Girl (Fytyrë vajze) to Ahmet Zogu, then Prime Minister of Albania, and asked in return for a scholarship to study in an academy of arts in Italy. Zogu fulfilled his desire by sending him to Turin. As a student in Turin, he initiated the Albanian Student Association (Studenti shqiptar) and the magazine of the Albanian Students of Turin. He graduated in 1927 in Art Critique at the Literature and Philosophy School of the Kingdom of Italy University in Turin. In the '30s he was one of the initiators of the association Friends of the Albanians (Miqt e Arbrit). He was also one of the organizers of the first exposure of arts and the first School of Painting in Tirana.^[1][2][3]

Work

Skanderbeg Monument (Tirana), Albania

Paskali has finished around 600 sculptures. His first sculpture was The Hungry. His masterpiece is the Skanderbeg's monument in Tirana, Albania. Other important works are The Flag Bearer (Flamurtari 1932, Vlore), The National Fighter (Luftëtari Kombëtar 1932, Korçë), The Mountaneer (Malësori), Jeronim De Rada, Naim Frashëri, KETI, Themistokli Gërmenji, Naum Veqilharxhi, The Unknown Soldier (Ushtari i panjohur), Vojo Kushi, Fan Noli, Onufri, Ahmet Zogu, Enver Hoxha, Çerçiz Topulli, Pashko Vasa, Migjeni, Isa Boletini, Idriz Seferi. It is thought that many of Paskali's works can be found in Italy and Switzerland as they were taken away through pillage during the Fascist Italian Invasion.^{[citation needed]}

Odhise was director of the National Gallery of Figurative Arts of Albania in the 1960s.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ "Odhise Paskali, one of the founders of the Albanian sculpture". http://www.botaforum.com/nga-traditat-tona-f15/skulptori-legjendar-odise-paskali-t867.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-12. 
2. ^ "Odise Paskali the rebirth of Paskali comes with his works from "The Hungry" till the "Mat'heusen"". http://www.sot.com.al/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2960:odise-paskali-ringjallja-e-paskalit-vjen-me-veprat-qi-urituriq-dhe-permendoren-e-mathausen&catid=46:kulture&Itemid=59. Retrieved 2010-01-12. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Odise Paskali, how he was not known". http://lajme.parajsa.com/Kulture/id_71011/. Retrieved 2010-01-12. 

Persondata
Name	Paskali, Odhise
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1903-12-22
Place of birth	Permet, Albania
Date of death	1985-09-13
Place of death	Tirana, Albania