David Selenica (; 17th century18th century), also commonly known as Selenicasi, was an Albanians Orthodox icon and fresco painter of the Post-Byzantine period in the seventeenth century. Alongside Onufri and Kostandin Shpataraku, he is regarded as one of the most prominent figures of medieval Albanian art.
Selenicasi, also known as David of Selenica was born in the late 17th century in Selenicë, a village in the region of Kolonjë.
Works
In 1715 he painted
in one of the chapels of the monastery of the
Great Lavra, the first monastery built on
Mount Athos in Greece.
From 1722 to 1726, David Selenica and his two disciples Kostandin and Kristo painted the murals, the
frescoes and the
basilica of the church of Saint Nicholas in
Moscopole.
In 1727 he painted the murals and the frescoes of the church of Saint John the Baptist in
Kastoria, and the church of Blessed Virgin Mary in
Thessaloniki.
Technique
In contrast to other painters of his era, Selenica uses bright colours in his paintings and icons.
Selenica combines elements of
Byzantine art of the Paleologan era and Venetian school of art.
Legacy
David Selenicasi's work influenced many of his contemporaries like Kostandin Shpataraku, the brothers Kostandin and Athanas Zografi and works of the early 19th century. He is regarded as the founder of a distinct national school of painters based in Korçë.
His works are exhibited in the National Historical Museum of Albania in Tirana in the pavilion of icon painting and the National Museum of Medieval Art of Korçë.
See also
