Art and Patronage in the Medieval Mediterranean: Merchant Culture in the Region of Amalfi

Description

An important trade centre in the Medieval Mediterranean, Amalfi and the surrounding region of southern Italy sustained strong art production and patronage from the eleventh through to the thirteenth centuries. Merchant patrons realised a wide variety of religious and residential complexes that were evocative of Byzantine, Islamic, Western, and local traditions. With the rise of the Angevin kingdom, a demise of this eclectic art tradition took place and by the fourteenth century, Amalfitan painting and sculpture reflected compromises between local and Neapolitan styles, demonstrating the erosion of its autonomy. Originally published in 2004, this book evaluates the Amalfitan art production in terms of moral, economic, and social structures, including investment strategies, anxieties about wealth and salvation, and southern Italy's diverse religious communities. Historiographical analyses and postcolonial models of interpretation offer further insight into Amalfitan art and its ever-shifting relationship to the visual cultures of sovereign authorities in southern Italy.

"Drawing on a rich array of material and textual evidence ... this book is a brilliant contribution ... which foces us to reevaluate our attitudes toward the art and culture of southwestern Italy. This is a must-read for anyone interested in patronage studies and cultural history--a fine and scholarly work with extensive notes and bibliography." Sixteenth Century Journal "This book successfully builds on individual monuments to construct a broader picture of the culture of Amalfitan mercatantia, an early model of multiculturalism with numerous poignant resonances for the present day." Letters in Canada 2004,/i> John Osborne "Caskey has written a brave work on a difficult subject" CAA Reviews Caroline Bruzelius "Her book rewards a careful reading, encouraging reflection on complex historical conditions and individual monouments of art." - Enrico Parlato, Universita della Tuscia