Albania - officially known as the Republic of Albania, is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the west and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest. It is less than 72 km (45 mi) from Italy, across the Strait of Otranto which links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea.
The Albania culture has Greek, Roman, Italian, Byzantine, Turkish and Slavic influences.
Art - Painting was strongly influenced by Byzantine art between the V and the XV century, although by the end of the early Renaissance, between the XV and XVII centuries, the Italian influence was very strong.