Italy, Cyprus, and Artistic Exchange in the Medieval Mediterranean

Anthi Andronikou's book explores the social, cultural, religious, and trade encounters between Italy and Cyprus during the late Middle Ages, comparing thirteenth-century wall paintings, panels, and chapels in Apulia and Basilicata, and investigating cross-currents such as the cult of Saint Aquinas, Crusader propaganda, and Venetian painters in Cyprus. It offers new insights into Italian and Byzantine visual cultures and contributes to a broader understanding of cultural production and worldviews of the medieval Mediterranean.

Format: Hardback
Length: 350 pages
Publication date: 08 September 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

In this captivating volume, Anthi Andronikou delves into the intricate tapestry of social, cultural, religious, and trade interactions between Italy and Cyprus during the late Middle Ages, spanning approximately from 1200 to 1400. By contextualizing these encounters within various Mediterranean frameworks, she unveils the rich and often overlooked cultural exchange between the two regions. Through a comparative analysis of captivating thirteenth-century wall paintings found in rock-cut churches in Apulia and Basilicata, perplexing panels in Madonna della Madia and Madonna di Andria, and painted chapels in Cyprus, Lebanon, and Syria, Andronikou sheds light on the intricate artistic interplay between these two areas for the first time. Moreover, she delves into fourteenth-century cross-currents that have received limited scholarly attention, including the veneration of Saint Aquinas in Cyprus, Crusader propaganda in Santa Maria Novella in Florence, and a remarkable series of icons created by Venetian painters working in Cyprus. By offering fresh perspectives on Italian and Byzantine visual cultures, this book makes a significant contribution to our understanding of medieval Mediterranean cultural production and worldviews.

ISBN-13: 9781316510926