Onufri

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Onufri was a 16th century Albanian painter. Best known for his Christian icons, he also painted portraits, landscapes and churches.

Little is known with certainty about Onufri's life and his existence only emerged in the early 20th century, through the work of Viktoria Pusanova.^[1]

He was born in the early 16th century, just after the Ottoman defeat of Skenderbeg and conquest of Albania. In the climate of the time, the painting of Christian icons can be seen as an act of resistance.^{[citation needed]} He was active in Berat until 1547. Then he worked in both Berat and Kostur (now Kastoria, in Greece) and in 1555, in Shelcan near Elbasan. After 1554, he lived and painted in the village of Valsh. His works were signed with the title "Protopapa", demonstrating a senior position in the church hierarchy.

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 (called by the French "Onufri's Red"). The secret of this colour was not passed on and died with Onufri.^[2]

Onufri founded a school of painting in Albania, which was passed on to his son Nikolla, upon his death, and by Onufri Kiprioti and Konstandin Shpataraku.

Many of his paintings are stored and displayed at the Onufri Iconographic Museum in a former church in the old town of Berat.