Baroque Art and Architecture in Slovenia: Migrations, Transfers, Contacts, and Networks .

The International Centre for Comparative Historical Studies (ICCHS) of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Slovenia and Posavje Museum Brežice, is organising a three-day international conference from 13 to 15 October 2025. This event is part of the exhibition project “Baroque in Slovenia”, which will feature two major exhibitions at the National Gallery of Slovenia and the National Museum of Slovenia as well as additional exhibitions and events all over Slovenia during the whole year 2025.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, most of the territory of present-day Republic of Slovenia was part of the Holy Roman Empire, divided among several Habsburg hereditary lands (Erblande) – Carniola, Styria, Carinthia and County of Gorizia and Gradisca. A smaller area in the northwest belonged to the lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen, also under Habsburg rule, while the Istrian towns in the southwest were part of the Venetian Republic. As a result of this geopolitical context, the art historical situation was characterized by intensive artistic exchange and shifting influences from various artistic centres. Therefore, the conference will focus on migrations, transfers, contacts, and networks within a broader geographical scope, aligning with the ICCHS’s focus on “Cultural Exchange at and beyond the Crossroads of the Venetian Republic and the Holy Roman Empire”. This includes present-day Slovenia and its neighbouring regions – northern Italy (particularly Veneto and Lombardy), Austria, Croatia, and Hungary, as well as Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and other relevant areas.

We welcome innovative paper proposals that tackle one or more of the following aspects:
(1) migrations of artists and artworks,
(2) exchange or/and circulation of ideas, materials, and technology,
(3) contacts and networks of artists, patrons, and intermediaries,
(4) reception and perception of art, as well as the formation and changes of taste, with a focus on both local contexts and comparisons across the wider region.

The opening and closing days of the conference will take place in Ljubljana, while the second day will be dedicated to the painter Franz Carl Remp (Radovljica, 14 October 1675 – Vienna, 22 September 1718). To mark the 350th anniversary of his birth, this part of the conference will be held beneath his painted ceiling at Brežice Castle. Remp, the son of a well-established local painter, spent his journeyman years studying in Venice and Rome. He later enjoyed long-term patronage of Ignaz Maria Count Attems in Graz and went on to receive commissions in Vienna, Kremsmünster, and Sankt Florian. To mark the Franz Carl Remp anniversary, beside papers on various topics regarding the painter himself, sessions held in Brežice will emphasize artists’ journeys to Italy, their formative years in pre-academy and academy periods, and the crucial role of patronage in shaping their careers.

Key information:
Working languages: English, German, and Italian.

Dates and locations:
13 October: opening sessions in Ljubljana.
14 October: sessions and special focus on Franz Carl Remb at Brežice Castle
15 October: closing sessions in Ljubljana.

Travel and accommodation: speakers are kindly requested to cover their own accommodation and travel expenses. However, transportation to and from Brežice will be provided.

How to apply
We welcome proposals for 20-minute papers that present original research, including case studies, comparative analyses, or broader theoretical insights. Proposals should include:
- Title of the paper.
- Abstract (300–400 words).
- Short biography of the author (max. 150 words).

Please send your proposals to baroqueinslovenia2025gmail.com by 10 March 2025. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by 31 March 2025.

Accompanying programe:
After the conference, from 16 to 18 October 2025 Posavje museum Brežice will organise an optional three-day excursion visiting sites in Slovenia and Austria connected with the life and work of Franz Carl Remp. The excursion expenses will not be covered. Application deadlines and detailed programme for the excursion will be available shortly.

Programme board:
Matej Klemenčič, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts
Barbara Jaki, National Gallery of Slovenia
Alenka Černelič Krošelj, Posavje Museum Brežice
Katra Meke, National Gallery of Slovenia / University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts
Tina Košak, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, France Stele Institute of Art History / University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
Jana Zapletalova, Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Arts
Enrico Lucchese, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Department of Humanities and Cultural Heritage
Linda Borean, University of Udine, Department of Humanities and Cultural Heritage
Dubravka Botica, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Nina Kudiš, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Arts
Stefan Albl, Universalmuseum Joanneum
Ingeborg Schemper Sparholz, Vienna
Jasenka Gudelj, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage

Organising board:
Neža Lukančič, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts / National Museum of Slovenia
Živa Rogelj, National Gallery of Slovenia
Sara Turk Marolt, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts
Andrejka Vabič Nose, Posavje Museum Brežice