This Styrian type of Madonna influenced the depictions in Salzburg and underlines the close historical relationship between the regions. If we use this stylistic comparison, it is possible that it was created around or before 1200.

The connection between Salzburg and Styria is also underlined by the foundation of the diocese of Seckau under the archbishopric of Salzburg in 1218, which exerted an ecclesiastical influence that promoted cultural exchange. Salzburg’s long-standing salt trade with Bohemia, which flourished under Archbishop Adalbert III in the late 12th century, also promoted both economic and artistic exchange between the regions. The connection between Salzburg and Bohemia in the early 13th century was deeply rooted in economic, political and religious relations, with the salt trade serving as a central link. Salzburg’s rich salt mines, especially those in Hallein on the Dürrnberg, were an important

resource for the region, as salt was considered “white gold” due to its importance for preserving and seasoning food. This raw material helped the

Salzburg archbishops to wealth and political power, as they owned the mines

and thus gained immense economic advantages. The Salzach was the main artery for the transportation of this valuable resource to the north and east, reaching Bohemia and linking Salzburg’s influence with Central Europe. The merchants, craftsmen and clergy who traveled along these routes brought goods, ideas and artistic styles with them. This exchange is evident in similar religious artworks, including Madonna sculptures, which share similar stylistic and iconographic features in Salzburg and Bohemia, reflecting their common religious and artistic vocabulary.

Political relations between Salzburg and Bohemia were equally important. The Archbishopric of Salzburg possessed significant ecclesiastical authority and its influence often extended to neighboring regions such as Bohemia, creating important networks for the dissemination of religious practices and artistic styles. These connections were not only ecclesiastically based, but were also fostered by alliances between the ruling families. Marriages and diplomatic agreements between the Salzburg archbishops and the Bohemian rulers strengthened these ties and promoted the exchange of ideas between the two regions. This intertwining became even more evident in later centuries with international Gothic art. This Madonna, which predates the so-called “Beautiful Madonnas” of the later International Style, is one of the earliest sculptures to bear witness to the cultural links between Salzburg and Bohemia – evidence of the artistic and religious dialog that flourished through the trade routes and shared ecclesiastical borders of the time.