How Do You Identify A Mannerist Painting?
Mannerism, a 16th century European art movement, rejected Renaissance classical ideals such as naturalism, balance and harmony. Mannerism arose in troubled, changing times; the plague, the Reformation and Rome sacking Florence in 1527 were key events, which might account for the strange and unsettling feeling that one gets from the work. Identify Mannerist paintings by following these steps. Study some of the Mannerist painters like Jacopa da Pontermo, Agnolo Bronzino, Parmigianino and Rosso Fiorentino. Notice the subject matter. Artists emphasized the intellectual. Use of Christian and mythological iconography, proverbs and folklore are common. Look for subjective expression. The expressions of the figures are psychological, sometimes tormented. Spirituality is emphasized and yet a seductive undertone exists. Consider the use of space. The composition is crowded and not as realistic as during the Renaissance. Space is flattened and compressed. Perspective is not as important. There is
