Janaq Paço

Janaq Paço (14 March 1914, Konitsa, Kingdom of Greece – 11 July 1991, Tirana, Albania) was one of the best known Albanian sculptors of the 20th century. Some of his prominent works include the monuments of Skanderbeg in Kruja, Tirana, and Pristina, Kosovo (reproduced post-mortem), as well as The Gladiators. Paço was one of the founders of the Albanian sculpture school and tradition. During this time he was criticized by other members of the Albanian League of Writers and Artists. This led him to gradually dissociate himself from the League. The monument of Skanderbeg (1968), today in "Scanderbeg Square" in Tirana, where he co-worked with the first Albanian sculptor Odhise Paskali and Andrea Mano Two statues of Fan Noli, and one of Alexander Moissi (1960s) The Gladiators (1973) (3.5 m), anticipated to be placed at the entrance of the ancient Durrës Amphitheatre in Durrës The sculptural group Skanderbeg with the People (1982), which is placed in the entrance of the Skanderbeg Museum in Krujë

Awards and prizes In 1984, he was awarded the title People's Artist of Albania. At the exhibition "Spring '90" at the National Art Gallery of Albania, Paço won first prize with his art work Girl's Portrait , which one year earlier (before the fall of communism in Albania) was prohibited to be exhibited inside the gallery as a "modern art work".