Mannerism, a term used to denote a style of art that emerged from the High Renaissance in Italy, is a stylistic period in art history. It is characterized by an exaggerated use of ornamentation, artificiality, and complexity. This style flourished from the mid-sixteenth to the early seventeenth centuries and was created to express the heightened emotions of the Baroque period.
The term “mannerism” was first used to describe an artistic style in the mid-19th century by German art historian, Heinrich Wölfflin. He coined the term to denote a style of art that emerged from the High Renaissance in Italy. This style was a reaction to the art of the High Renaissance, which Wölfflin believed had become overly formulaic and idealistic. He believed that the Mannerist artists had created a new, more expressive style.
Mannerism is often associated with the artists of the Italian Renaissance, such as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci. However, it also includes artists from other parts of Europe, such as El Greco, the Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and the German painter Albrecht Dürer. Many of these artists are considered to be Mannerists because of their use of certain stylistic elements.
Mannerist art is characterized by its exaggerated use of ornamentation, artificiality, and complexity. These elements can be seen in the works of Mannerist artists such as Giulio Romano, who created intricately detailed compositions with a strong sense of movement and drama. Other Mannerist artists, such as Parmigianino, used distorted forms and elongated figures to create a sense of artificiality and complexity.
Mannerism was a significant stylistic period in art history and had a profound influence on the development of European art. Its use of exaggerated ornamentation, artificiality, and complexity provided a new way of expressing emotion and feeling in art. Today, the legacy of Mannerism can be seen in the work of many modern artists.
References
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Gardner, H., Kleiner, S., & Mamiya, C. (2020). Gardner’s art through the ages: A global history (17th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
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Wölfflin, H. (1915). Classic art: An introduction to the Italian Renaissance. New York, NY: Dover Publications.