How did Byzantine art spread to Italy, Sicily, Russia, and eastern Europe?

Byzantine art spread to Italy, Sicily, Russia, and eastern Europe primarily through trade, conquest, and the expansion of the Eastern Orthodox Church.1

Italy and Sicily

In Italy and Sicily, Byzantine influence was facilitated by the importation of art objects and the direct employment of Byzantine artisans. For example, Abbot Desiderius of Montecassino summoned specialists from Constantinople to decorate his abbey church in the 11th century, establishing a pattern where local artists were trained by these foreign experts.123

The Norman rulers of Sicily actively modeled their representational arts on Byzantine traditions, resulting in a synthesis of Eastern and Western styles in structures like the Cappella Palatina and the cathedral of Monreale. Similarly, Venice maintained long-standing commercial ties with Constantinople, leading to the adoption of Byzantine architectural and mosaic styles, such as those seen in St. Mark’s.2

Russia and Eastern Europe

In Russia and other parts of eastern Europe, the spread of Byzantine forms was driven by the expansion of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Following the Christianization of Kievan Rus in 988, Slavic rulers adopted Byzantine models for their ecclesiastical architecture and art, as evidenced by the construction of stone churches like the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kiev. These Byzantine-based traditions remained a formative influence in Russia through the 17th century, while also persisting in the western Balkans and Bulgaria.145