This fund has 132 art works. The realistic paintings in Shkodra, fleurished during the Albanian National Renaissance. It is linked historically with the pre-nationalist chain of the country’s history (mid-century. 18 before mid-century. 19) and that can be considered as the birth of romantic painting. Shkodra’s astistic contribution is so prominent, that we can rightly speak of “Shkodra’s school of painting”.

As with every movement one artist stood above all, his name was Kol Idromeno. As one of the founders of the Albanian realist school of painting, he is known as the most outstanding critical realist painter in Albania. In his first works, he treated both religious and secular subjects, always adhering to his realist conception of figures. The figures of his many biblical paintings done in several churches in the zone of Shkodra (Ulqin, Salc, Shiroka, Vau i Dejes, ect.) such as Frescoes of the Orthodox Church of Shkodra1881 (of which the hell fragment is noted for its suggestive colors), are depicted in realist plastic shapes, already divorced from the traditional post-Byzantine style. The painter even makes use of the religious fable to sternly criticize the vices and ills of the society of the time. His realist outlook of the living world with a touch of humor, surfaced over biblical subjects. In his well-known composition “Two Roads” 1892 (oil, 1.96mx1.69m, Art Gal.Shkodra) he lovingly materialized the true life of his city and religion, while his vision of the other life (Hell and Paradise, in the two extremes of the painting) is blurred, without emphasis, without shape and almost inconceivable.

.Idromeno was not alone in the foundation of the Albanian realist school of painting, along with him the works of other Shkodra painters like Ndoc (Andon) Martini, Andrea Kushi, Simon Rrota, Zef Kolombi, Kel Kodheli, Vladimir Jani added more weight to the claim for the city’s school of painting.