The Artistic Exchange between the Apennine Peninsula and Central Europe in the First Half of the 14th Century: A Theme for a Monography?

Abstract

Where are the boundaries of defining a monographic theme? The paper concerns itself with the present position of monography in the discourse of art history and the possibility to apply such a format to describe artistic exchange between the Apennine Peninsula and Central Europe in the First Half of the 14th Century. It discusses its pros and cons based on thus far undertaken research. It describes the variety of different examples of ‘Italianisms’ according to their quality and intention of artistic exchange. It poses the question of if the term of so called ‘Italianisms’ is limited only by their characteristic style or if within this group it may also include the artworks with a specifically conceptual executed iconographical theme originating in the Apennine Peninsula.