Cross-Cultural Encounters in the Twilight of the Republic of Venice: The Church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Višnjeva, Montenegro

The last quarter of the eighteenth century found the Republic of Venice confined to the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, a development which brought closer the Italian, Greek, and Slavic cultural elements that made up Venetian society. An illustrative example of this intercultural dialogue is the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Višnjeva, Montenegro. According to an archival document, which is presented here for the first time, the church was built and decorated by artists and artisans of Heptanesian-Greek and Slavic origin. Through this case study, this article examines the broader issue of cross-cultural exchanges in the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, assesses the reception of Heptanesian icon painting in the Adriatic, and illuminates the factors behind the creation of a common aesthetics in the Ionian-Adriatic region.