Paragone

Paragone (Italian: paragone, meaning comparison), was a debate during the Italian Renaissance in which painting and sculpture (and to a degree, architecture) were each championed as forms of art superior and distinct to each other. While other art forms, such as architecture and poetry existed in the context of the debate, painting and sculpture were the primary focus of the debate.

The debate extended beyond the fifteenth century and even influences the discussion and interpretation of artworks that may or may not have been influenced by the debate itself.

A comparable question, generally posed less competitively, was known as ut pictura poesis (a quote from Horace), comparing the qualities of painting and poetry.