Settecento Malerei (Vienna, 23-24 Oct 25) Vienna, Oct 23–24, 2025 Deadline: May 30, 2025

"Settecento Malerei. Cultural Transfer Phenomena Between Italy and the Habsburg Territories" International

Workshop organised by Eleonora Gaudieri and Erika Meneghini

This two-day workshop aims to explore 18th-century Italian painting as the focus of transfer phenomena between the Italian peninsula and the territories of the then Habsburg Empire, with Vienna at its centre.

The high quality and renowned tradition of Italian painting, fostered by a dense network of international connections, enabled numerous artists of Italian origin or Italians by adoption to pursue successful careers at the Habsburg imperial court in Vienna. This phenomenon must be understood within the context of broader diplomatic and artistic networks that connected Vienna with key centres on the Italian peninsula such as Venice, Bologna, Rome and Naples.

The beginning of the Settecento was characterised by a considerable expansion of the transalpine art market, driven by a strong interest in collecting Italian artworks. This phenomenon attracted numerous Italian artists, including many painters, to Vienna and to the allied courts of the German prince-electors, such as the Schönborn and Wittelsbach Houses. At the same time, a number of Austrian painters were encouraged to further their training in Italy, where they were profoundly influenced by the local visual language.The workshop will address two main currents. First, it will investigate the meanings and functions of Italian painting within the socio-political and cultural context of the Habsburg imperial court in Vienna and its allied courts. Second, it seeks to explore the various dynamics that fostered the transfer of Italian painting and Italian artistic knowledge to Vienna and the territories of the then Habsburg Empire.

We welcome innovative proposals that address one or more of the following aspects:

- the reception of Italian painting in Vienna and in allied territories, and the role of workshops and art academies in this process;

- Italian painting as a medium of Habsburg representation;

- the role of regional schools of Italian painting in the context of Viennese and Central European art collections;- Grand Tour and Kavalierstour;

- the reconstruction of networks of diplomatic, artistic and patronage relations. Contributions addressing other topics relevant to the workshop's main focus are also welcome.

Please send us your proposal in English, German or Italian including the title of your presentation, an abstract (approx. 300 words), and a short CV, by 30 May 2025 to settecentomalerei@gmail.com.

Speakers will have 20 minutes for their presentations. Applicants will be informed about the acceptance of their proposals by 30 June 2025.

Important information:

Date: 23–24 October 2025 Venue:

Department of Art History of the University of Vienna, University Campus Hof 9, Garnisongasse 13, 1090 Vienna

Languages: English, German and Italian

Travel and accommodation: The conditions and procedures for reimbursement of travel and/or accommodation costs will be communicated following confirmation of participation.

Submission deadline: 30 May 2025

If you have any further questions, please contact the organisers: Erika Meneghini (erika.meneghini@univie.ac.at) and Eleonora Gaudieri (eleonora.gaudieri@univie.ac.at).

Dr. Eleonora Gaudieri

Project assistant (APART-GSK funding programme)

Department of Art History, University of Vienna

Dott.ssa Erika Meneghini MAPhD Candidate

Department of Art History, University of Vienna