Onufri

Onufri (; ; ), Onouphrios of Neokastro or Onouphrios Argytes, was a 16th century Archpriest of Elbasan and the most important painter of Orthodox murals and icons in the early post-Byzantine era in Albania. He founded a school of painting in Berat and extended his influence as far afield as Kastoria. Trained in Venice, he infused Albanian icon painting with the artistic climate of the Italian Renaissance. His works reveal a great degree of originality and ecclesiastically combined post-Byzantine and Gothic elements. The epithet Argitis, which appears in a fresco near Kastoria may point to Argos as his place of birth, although as he used it only once it is regarded probable that it refers to a location in the area of Kastoria. His flawless Greek calligraphic inscriptions is an indicator that he received high-level education. He was active in Berat and possibly Venice until 1547. Then he worked in both Berat and Kastoria and in 1555, in Shelcan near Elbasan. He may have also been the painter of various murals in the church of St. Nicholas near Prilep (North Macedonia). After 1554, he lived and painted in the village of Valsh. In a number of churches his works were signed with the title "Protopapas" , demonstrating a senior position in the church hierarchy.

Work Onufri introduced greater realism and individuality into facial expressions, breaking with the strict conventions of the time. He was the first to introduce the colour pink into icon painting. The secret of this colour was not passed on and died with him. His work is noted for the intense use of colours and the use of natural dyes. Onufri's painting well attests red as a traditional Albanian color.

Onufri founded a school of painting in Berat, which was passed on to his son Nikolla, and upon his death to Onouphrios Cypriotes (Onufri Cypriota) and Kostandin Shpataraku.

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