“When a Mannerist artist breaks rules, he does so on the basis of knowledge and not of ignorance”
– John Shearman
As expected, the influence of the historic Italian Renaissance began to seep throughout the rest of Europe. This allowed us to witness the introduction of the Northern Renaissance. However, just how one movement can create its own identity with the ideals of those before, a movement can also decide to completely reject the current art standard and explore a new form of art, leading us to the 1500s Mannerism.
Italian painter Parmigianino’s Madonna of the Long Neck illustrates the unprecedented characteristics of a Mannerist piece. Referencing Michelangelo’s Pieta, the modified Virgin Mary assumes the same position with a younger Christ in her arms. However, what is different is the distinct distortions and illogicalities in the entire piece, which was a major indicator of Mannerism. Utilizing these tactics, the Virgin Mary was drastically disproportionate as she was presented with a smaller head and toes in contrast to a set of wide hips and a long neck. Christ is also larger and now has a weird contortion in his form. Although there is no specific sense of gesture, Parmigianino still manages to retain the elegance of the High Renaissance through intense exaggeration (Harris).
Parmigianino. Madonna of the Long Neck. c.1535-40. Uffizi, Florence. (source)
It could be said that Mannerism was a rebellion to the perfection of the Renaissance. Since art had plateaued since its peak, the focus on artistic exploration became more apparent. It is clear to see that the two movements contrast each other in many ways although they evolved from the same premise. Unlike the Northern Renaissance, where former teachings such as extreme naturalism were still very visible even with the colossal shift to printmaking, Mannerism “pushed the boundaries of fantasy and imagination with artists looking to art, rather than nature” (Graham).
Meanwhile, as the Mannerist movement strove for a controversial type of artistic excellence, the Northern Renaissance took the more traditional path and started creating art that reflected the current time period. With the growth of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation throughout Europe, the restrictiveness of religious art lessened as the authority of the Catholic was challenged. This allowed the emergence of more “common scenes and subjects with a more moralistic glance at modern existence” (Harris).
Additional Resources:
- Mannerism, an Introduction (Article).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/high-ren-florence-rome/pontormo/a/mannerism-an-introduction.
- “An Introduction to the Protestant Reformation (Article).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/renaissance-and-reformation/protestant-reformation/a/an-introduction-to-the-protestant-reformation.