Portrait of Ganimete Tërbeshi

National Gallery of Arts, Albania

Year: 1981
Technique: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 110 × 81 cm
Artist: Agim Zajmi

This painting portrays Ganimet Tërbeshi, a heroic figure of popular resistance during the Second World War. Born in Gjakova, in Kosovo, she joined the national struggle at a very young age. After several resistance actions, she was arrested and executed in 1944 at the age of seventeen.

In the composition, the young woman is depicted wearing deep red garments, a color symbolizing sacrifice, strength, and moral courage. She rises above a group of traditional Albanian houses with tiled roofs, their illuminated windows suggesting continuity, collective memory, and the persistence of life. A braided strand of hair (“gershetë”) descends from her neck to her chest, reinforcing themes of identity, youth, and cultural roots.

Painted in oil on canvas, the work is characterized by free and expressive brushstrokes. Her face, firm and resolute, conveys strong conviction and inner determination. Behind her, a heavy sky is pierced by a distant light, symbolizing hope and the promise of a future beyond turmoil.

This figurative work of great emotional intensity forms part of the collection of the National Gallery of Arts.