3.4 — Mannerism
Mannerism (c. 1520–1600) follows the High Renaissance and favors complexity, artifice, and elegant distortion over harmonious balance. Artists experiment with elongated figures, unusual space, and striking color to display virtuosity and provoke emotion.
Key Traits
- Elongation and Elegance: Graceful, attenuated bodies and serpentine poses.
- Inventive Space: Compressed or ambiguous depth; tilted floors and unlikely architecture.
- Artificial Color: Acidic or non-natural palettes heighten drama.
- Complexity over Clarity: Crowded compositions, unexpected focal points, and intellectual play.
Major Artists
- Parmigianino: “Madonna of the Long Neck” — elongated proportions and unstable space.
- Bronzino: Court portraits with polished surfaces; “Allegory with Venus and Cupid” full of coded symbolism.
- Pontormo: “Deposition” (Capponi Chapel) with swirling, weightless figures and vibrant color.
- El Greco: In Spain, spiritual elongation and expressive light (“Burial of the Count of Orgaz”).
Architecture and Ornament
Architects play with classical rules: broken pediments, unexpected proportions, and layered façades (e.g., Giulio Romano’s Palazzo del Te with “trick” masonry).
Definition: Figura Serpentinata
A spiral or twisting pose that suggests dynamic movement and elegance, favored by Mannerist painters and sculptors.
Patronage and Context
Courtly environments prized sophistication and novelty; Mannerist art often catered to elite audiences versed in allegory and classical references. The style flourished in Florence, Rome, and later spread to France and Spain.
Note: After the High Renaissance
Where the High Renaissance sought harmony and balance, Mannerism embraces tension, ambiguity, and virtuoso artifice—setting the stage for the emotional intensity of the Baroque.
Looking Ahead
Next, Chapter 4.1 explores the Baroque, where dynamic movement, dramatic light, and theatrical space respond to new religious and political currents.