Between Two Empires: Knowledge and “Popularization” of Byzantine Artistic Heritage in Austro-Hungarian Italy

This paper aims to explore the role that the Byzantine artistic heritage played within the cultural milieu of the Habsburg Empire, between mid-nineteenth and early twentieth century, with a particular emphasis on its Italian territories. While examining the overall management and conservation policies put in place by the Viennese government, the ongoing research shows how these policies affected different areas of modern Italy, in combination with coeval new scholarly studies and surveys, primarily by the Wiener Schule der Kunstgeschichte. The material considered includes monuments and monumental decoration, as well as portable artifacts, encompassing Lombardy, Trentino, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Istria, spanning various time periods, depending on the region’s imperial affiliation. Among the most intriguing actors in this process were those who engaged in two distinct yet interconnected activities: scholarship and artistic creation. These individuals often assumed responsibility for the visual reproductions of Byzantine artworks (also through lithography and photography), a practice exemplified by Albert von Camesina among others. This paper will attempt to present the ways in which this activity was disseminated to the public, primarily through journals and exhibitions, and the translations of specific new knowledge and interests into contemporary artistic production in various media, including the visual and the performative arts.