Export of artworks from the territory of the State of the Teutonic Order between the mid-fourteenth and mid-fifteenth centuries. Some aspects of the trade, art market, and artistic contacts between Prussia and the North

Abstract

While the borders of the State of the Teutonic Order are clearly outlined, the artistic activity in this area is not that simple to define. The connections and trade routes among the many regions along the Baltic Sea coast during the Middle Ages are well known. The issue of the art market in Prussia under the rule of the Teutonic Knights leaves researchers with more questions than unequivocal answers because of the lack of written sources. Historical connections between Prussia and the North and similar stylistic features of artworks on that territories show that many artworks from the north Baltic Sea coast should be included in research on Prussian art. It is fully justified to expand the research borders to often overlooked exports from Prussia, which can be found in both Sweden and Finland.