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1902 - 1974
Albanian painter and politician. Born into a well-known trading family in Shkoder, Albania, he was brought up with an occidental mentality in an environment with European cultural roots. This influence seems to have helped him in securing for a short period of time, a diplomatic position in the High Administration of King Zog the First. Sarachi first came to England on a diplomatic mission in 1933, as First Secretary of the Albanian Embassy in London, coinciding with the occupation of Albania by the Italian army. During his stay, he became a well-known artist. Within a few years he had decided to remain in London and gave up his diplomatic career to concentrate on painting.
In 1939 Sarachi met the great expressionist artist Oskar Kokoschka, who became a close friend and admirer as well as a constant influence on his work. They shared a Kensington studio in Stratford Road, and often worked together, producing a legacy of many drawings and paintings of each other as a documentary to their friendship. Sarachi’s landscapes, still lifes and flower paintings exude a vibrant quality, achieved through his mastery of watercolor and pastels. In addition, his delicate line drawings reveal the influence of Oriental art. Sarachi’s style is strongly allied to expressionism but is also informed by the influence of Japanese and Chinese painters.
Exhibitions Include:
Redfern Gallery, London; Paris; Dublin; Pride Gallery, London