Botanical Analysis of the Baroque Art on the Eastern Adriatic Coast, South Croatia

The entire area, from Istria in the north to the Bay of Kotor in the south, was predominantly under the influence of the Venetian school of art, while artists from central and southern Italy, especially Naples, left visible traces in Dubrovnik and its surroundings [13,14]. [...] The objectives of our study were as follows: (i) to analyse the presence of floral ele- ments in Baroque sacred art on the Pelješac peninsula; (ii) to determine the relationship between the local flora and the flora recognisable on the artworks; and (iii) to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between man and the environment in this area. [...] The species presented were identified on the basis of the most diagnostic morpho- logical aspects, such as the general form of the plant (habit), typology, shape, size, and Plants 2023, 12, 2080 5 of 13 color of the flowers and fruits, if present, and the morphology and arrangement of the leaves. [...] However, it is important to emphasise that, for the first time, the inhabitants had the opportunity to see the appearance of the figures of Christ, the Mother of God, and the saints, which until then they had only heard about in church services [59]. [...] However, con- sidering the relatively small area and the artworks studied, the results should be read and analysed in the context of a better understanding of the cultural heritage, natural history, and knowledge of people from the Baroque period and possible higher agricultural land use in this part of the Mediterranean in the last few centuries.