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.

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.

The organisers 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) and short biography of the author (max. 150 words). Please send your proposals to baroqueinslovenia2025@gmail.com by 10 March 2025. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by 31 March 2025.

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.

Read more: https://www.pmb.si/images/user_upload/files/Barok_simpozij_vabilo_objavljeno_4_2_2025%283%29.pdf