Projects / Programmes
The Noble Patron. The Role and Significance of Aristocratic Patrons in Sacred Art in the Slovene Lands from the 16th to the 19th Century
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.09.00 |
Humanities |
Art history |
|
art history, cultural history, sacred art, architecture, painting, sculpture, nobility, patronage, Early Modern Period
Researchers (8)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
In the cultural and spiritual development of the Slovene lands in the Early Modern Period, an important role was played by the nobility. However, this issue has not been sufficiently investigated and accurately evaluated, since the significance of the aristocratic culture for the development of the fine arts has been referred to by Slovene art history only sporadically and parenthetically. The aristocracy not only exerted important influence on the artistic growth through building and furnishing their own residences, but through their agency the artistic culture was also spread into wider social surroundings, especially through their donations for churches. Through their agency also the churches were furnished with quality works of art by the same masters that worked for castles and palaces. A thorough investigation of family and social connections concealed behind such commissions will illuminate many a work of art and their masters. The result of the research project will offer an overall survey of the extent and significance of aristocratic commissions in sacred art, which will render possible a better understanding of the interchange of influences between secular and sacred spheres of art. The project will concentrate on work in the archives, which will, hopefully, bring to light numerous new pieces of information and open new aspects of the questions discussed. Studied in detail (and published separately) will be the donations of the Estates of the Province of Carniola, of some most outstanding noblemen (Jakob Schellenburg, Peter Anton Codelli, Orpheo Strassoldo) and aristocratic families that excelled in intense donating activities as well as widely branched family and cultural connections (Attems, Cobenzel, Thurn, Lanthieri). These connections usually considerably exceeded the provincial and state borders of the time, and this fact promises to shed light on the provenance of numerous works of art as yet unexplained and on European artistic influences that were brought to art scene in the Slovene lands by aristocratic donations.
Significance for science
As the problems of aristocratic patronage have so far been treated only partially and sporadically, the results of the research are important and useful for art history, and additionally eloquent also in the boarder field of cultural history, as they reveal significant points shared by art history and social history. Aristocracy with their commissions were always avant-garde in art, their international connections mediated numerous artistic works of high quality and respectable artists. Researches brought new scientific findings about patronage of the Slovenian nobility, about connections of particular families with certain artists and about patternsof activities, identical or very similar to those in other Central European countries.
Significance for the country
The results of the project deepen our knowledge of a segment of the history of Slovene art, which is closely connected with the protagonists of general and social history, therefore they contribute significantly to the understanding of our past. The acquiring of fundamental humanistic knowledge, which is important for the development of national identity as well as for the preservation of cultural heritage, helps to complement Slovene art-, spiritual and cultural history of the early Modern Age. The results reveal important cultural relations of Slovenia with the rest of Europe. Like the rest of the aristocratic culture (or even more), the noble commissions for churches are still understood in Slovenian perception as a foreign body, as not being “our” art, and as such they are particularly endangered – the knowledge about their significance will therefore, hopefully, facilitate the preservation of this important part of Slovenian artistic heritage. Besides for developping identity and for protection of monuments the project results are also important for sustainable development of Slovenia and for the needs of cultural tourism.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
