ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a comprehensive literature review and positions the Procaccini in relation to the present scholarship concerning the artistic legacy of the Council of Trent. It retraces the Emilian origins of the Procaccini family and focuses on their Bolognese years. The book describes the relationship between the Procaccini and the Carracci families in terms of friendship, rivalry and collaboration, disproving the notion indicating that competition with the Carracci was a major factor in persuading the Procaccini to leave Bologna and move to Milan. It focuses on the circumstances surrounding the Procaccini’s arrival in Milan. The book demonstrates that the move was not a gamble, but a reasoned step motivated by solid economic reasons. By looking at studies in socio-economic history, it describes Milan as a microcosm of international influences, providing an analysis of the rich possibilities offered by the local market.
