Mannerism
1525 - 1600
Between the HIGH RENAISSANCE & the BAROQUE era, ART, especially
Italian art, developed into a style known as MANNERISM. Mannerism
was a deliberate revolt by artists against the goals of the
Renaissance.
Why was the flawless
representation of nature & the
human body, the rational &
harmonious designs, and the
classical balance of the High
Renaissance rejected?
MANNERSIM favored emotion
over reason, dissonance over
harmony, and imagination over
reality.
WHY??
Mannerism
examples
POLITICAL UNREST IN ITALY: At the time of the High
Renaissance, Italy was at peace and confident.
Then……France invaded Italy & took over parts of it.
Rome was sacked by the Germans & the Spaniards.
France & Spain waged war over control of Italy and for
the next century, much of Italy was ruled by foreign
kings.
RELIGIOUS DISUNITY:
At the beginning of the 16th century Europe was Catholic & the Church
was influential, politically powerful, extremely wealthy & CORRUPT.
People were beginning to think the church offered meaningless rituals, “bought” pardons for sins, and
consisted of clergy who abused their power, lived lavishly and immorally.
People’s respect for priests, monks and popes weakened. There was a clear distrust and dislike of the
clergy.
Criticism of the Roman Catholic Church eventually led to the religious movement called the Protestant
Reformation and brought changes in religion and politics across Europe.
Early reformers believed the church should give up earthly possessions (views which were unpopular by
church officials). These early reformers were removed from their positions, excommunicated by the pope,
arrested and burned at the stake.
Martin Luther publicly criticized the church in his Ninety-Five Theses (which he nailed to church doors to
act as public bulletins). He insisted that God’s grace cannot be won by money, and declared the only head
of the church was Jesus, not the pope. He insisted that people should be their own interpreters of
scripture.
Desire for reform grew. The pope expelled him from the church and he was declared an outlaw. There
were “protests” against hi2 writings – Protestant.
These and other ideas spread across Europe. Protestant Reformation spread to England when King Henry
VIII declared himself head of the Church of England after the pope refused to annul his marriage to
Catherine.
Mannerist Style Features:
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Compositions with no focal point
Ambiguous space
Compositions are jammed and often
unbalanced
Figures bend and twist in unnatural ways
Figures often grossly muscular
Distortions and exaggerations in the
body
Elongated limbs
Bizarre postures
Uniform small, oval heads
Clashing, artificial colours
Instability and restlessness
Artificial lighting to heighten tension
Deposition, Jacopo Pontormo c. 1528
COMPARE these 2 works of the same subject matter but of different Art periods.
Mannerism
High Renaissance
• Exaggerations
• Disproportionate
• Tiny head and feet
compared to hips
(diamond shape)
• Elegant, weightless
• Impossibly long,
boneless fingers
• Long neck
• Ambiguity in space
• Angels on left –
uncertainty in their
purpose
• Echoes Michelangelo’s
Pieta (Christ is asleep
but looks dead too)
• Erotic undertones
• Ambiguity = successful
mannerist artwork
Madonna with the Long Neck, 1535, Parmigianino
The Last
Supper by
Tintoretto,
1592–94
• Exemplifies crowded, dramatic compositions that displayed Mannerist traits like a plunging
diagonal perspective, off balance design & lighting for emotional effect rather than accuracy.
• More about imaginations than reality (angels).
• Includes servants, dishwasher, animal drinking water – disconnect.
• Lantern = Holy Spirit.
• Judas – only one on opposite side of table, no halo
El Greco, 1586
• Long, distorted bodies
• Harsh light
• Exaggeration of features
• Strong, acid colours
• Twisted figures
• Sense of movement
Greek born painter,
sculptor, and
architect who
settled in Spain
and is regarded as
the first great artist
of Spain. He was
known as El Greco
(the Greek), but his
real name was
Domenikos
Theotocopoulos
• Emotion
El Greco, Holy Trinity, 1577
Even the stable, pyramidal
compositions of Renaissance
sculpture take on a new twist
Renaissance:
calm, classical
beauty, rational
design with
stable
pyramidal
composition
MANNERISM
showing twisting,
emotional turmoil & offbalanced composition
Rape of the Sabine Woman,
Bologna, 1583
Identify the
Work…
Michelangelo,
Pietà
1500, Marble
HIGH RENAISSANCE
Parmigianino
Madonna with the Long Neck,
1534-40.
MANNERISM
Botticelli, Birth of Venus, 1484-86.
EARLY RENAISSANCE
Leonardo Da Vinci
“Mona Lisa”
ca. 1503-1505.
HIGH RENAISSANCE
Masaccio, Tribute Money, 1427
EARLY RENAISSANCE
Tintoretto, The Last Supper, 1592-94, MANNERISM
Raphael, The School of Athens, 1511,
HIGH RENAISSANCE
El Greco, Mannerism
Donatello
David
1428-1432
EARLY RENAISSANCE
Masaccio
Holy Trinity
1428
EARLY RENAISSANCE
Michelangelo
David
1501-1504
HIGH RENAISSANCE
Michelangelo, Creation of Man, Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
1508-1512 HIGH RENAISSANCE
Jacopo Pontormo
Deposition from the Cross
1525-1528.
MANNERISM
Leonardo Da Vinci. The Last Supper
1495-1498. HIGH RENAISSANCE
Ghiberti
Gates of Paradise
EARLY RENAISSANCE
Leonardo da Vinci
Vitruvian Man
HIGH RENAISSANCE
Michelangelo
Last Judgment
HIGH RENAISSANCE