TIRANA, June 12 /ATA/ – Preparations have been completed in the French city of Chambéry for the opening of an exhibition showcasing some of Albania’s most important medieval religious artworks, organisers said on Friday.
The exhibition, titled “Icons of Albania – Treasures from the National Museum of Medieval Art in Korçë”, will open on Saturday at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Chambéry and will run until November 1.
The collection features 45 icons selected from the holdings of Albania’s National Museum of Medieval Art and marks the first time the works have been exhibited to the French public.
Museum director Fjoralba Prifti has been overseeing preparations in Chambéry, while Albania’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Blendi Gonxhja, and Korçë Mayor Sotiraq Filo are expected to attend the opening ceremony.
Local authorities in Chambéry described the exhibition as an exceptional cultural event, highlighting the arrival of the artworks from Albania and the extensive preparations undertaken to install them.
Organizers say the exhibition aims to introduce European audiences to a largely underexplored artistic legacy while further strengthening cultural ties between Albania and France.
The event marks a significant milestone in the international promotion of Albanian cultural heritage and is being organized within the framework of cooperation between the cities of Korçë and Chambéry, with support from Albanian and French cultural institutions.
French visitors will have the opportunity to discover a distinctive chapter of Albanian iconographic art through works that reflect centuries of artistic craftsmanship, historical continuity and spiritual tradition. The exhibition highlights the unique character of Mediterranean Christian art and its dialogue with broader European artistic traditions.
The works on display are drawn from the collection of the National Museum of Medieval Art in Korçë, which houses one of the world’s most important collections of Byzantine and post-Byzantine iconography, comprising thousands of icons and other cultural heritage objects.
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