The present book investigates phenomena of the Nachleben of ancient monuments in visual depcitions. In this context, Reception defines the relation of documents to the depicted monument while Tradierung denotes documents refering to each other, such as in (implicit) visual citation. Analyzing two datasets – the Census of Antique Works of Art and Architecture Known in the Renaissance and a collection of visual documents regarding imperial baths in Rome – the study provides evidence for the fact that we can understand the processes of Reception and Tradierung as complex networks in the sense of discrete mathematics.

Concerning method, the present investigation bridges Art History, Archaeology and the Science of Complex Networks – resulting in a seamless approach combining qualitative and quantitative analysis in which single documents, scholarly articles as well as entire databases are subject to equivalent critical appraisal. Beyond practical application, the explanation of relevant concepts originating in the fields of cognition and networks provides a foundation for the proposed approach.

Results with regards to content are relevant to the fields of Art History as well as Archeology, relating to ‚Nachleben’ in general and Roman imperial baths in particular. Beyond that, the approach presented here provides a starting point for further investigations on complex networks in art research.

An open access version of this book in digital form is available via the ART-Dok server of UB-Heidelberg. See urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-artdok-7002

2009.
German language, 340 pp., 225 figs., 8 pl., 25 maps and 570 figs. in appendix, ln.
ISBN 978-3-930609-56-7
EUR 178,-