From the harbour of Venice to the Kingdom of Hungary: Art and trade in the 11^th-13^th centuries

Venice and Hungary had an intensive but frequently changing relation in the Middle Ages. The second king of the country originated from the Orseolo family. The rivalry between Venice and Hungary led to conflicts from the 12th century onward in the Dalmatian region. On the other hand, the commercial connections were flourishing and Venice was the most important trading partner of medieval Hungary. After 1204 Venice played a key role in mediating goods from the Far East as well as from the Arabic and Byzantine world to Central Europe. This is also a turning point in the artistic relations. Before the 13th century, Venetian influences are mostly visible in stone carvings. This stylistic impact originating from Venice seems to diminish during the 13th century, while stylistic connections has been revealed in the field of goldsmithwork – a genre easy to transport.