Established 1970 Website Official website | Location Shkodër, Albania | |
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The National Museum of Photography "Marubi" (Albanian: Muzeu Kombëtar i Fotografisë "Marubi") is Albania's only museum dedicated entirely to photography. It houses a vast collection of 500,294 photographs dating back from 1858 when the first images in Albania were recorded.
History
The museum has its beginnings with the famous Marubi dynasty and its founder, Pietro Marubbi who arrived in Shkodër in 1856 following political persecutions at home. Marubi’s artistic activity developed in several fields simultaneously as a photographer, architect, painter and sculptor. With his “magic box” in 1858, he photographed life outside his studio including political events of the time such as, “The Uprising of Mirdita” (1876–77), the Albanian League of Prizren (1878–81), which were printed on the pages of renowned European magazines of the time such as “La guerra d’Oriente”, “The Illustrated London News”, “L’lustration”, etc. “Marubi” Studio (1858-1900) was similar to any advanced studio in Europe. At that time, Pjetër Marubi decided that the sons of Rrok Kodheli from Kodheli of Kodrima should continue his work in the studio — starting with Mati (who had a short life, 1862-1881), followed by Mikel, nicknamed Kel (Marubi), inheriting this new surname in honour of the great master. Kel Marubi began to work at “Marubi” studio in 1885 at the age of 15.
After master Marubi’s death, he became the legitimate inheritor of the studio, transforming it into a true art atelier. He enriched the photograph library with best-known figures of the time such as Gjergj Fishta, Migjeni, Ernest Koliqi, Shote Galica, Ded Gjo Luli, Bajram Curri, Fan Noli, Ahmet Zogu and others, as well as with photos from common people with characteristic national costumes, pictures from town and country life, landscapes and other aspects of Albania of the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. He became one of the leading European figures in public and chronicle photography of the time because he succeeded in following all of the most important Albanian events for nearly 55 years. Kel Marubi was also an ardent patriot and became involved in the movement for the independence of Albania by taking part in founding the “Albanian Language Society” in 1908, and in publishing the newspaper “Zëri i Shkodrës” (The Voice of Shkodër). He was also known beyond Albania’s borders and was often invited to the Court of the King of Montenegro for various works in photography.
On December 2016 it was nominated for European Museum of the Year Award by the European Museum Forum.