11-01 The Extremes of Mannerism (notes)

The Extremes of Mannerism

Overview:

This document provides a summary of a talk exploring the Mannerist art movement, tracing its development from its roots in the High Renaissance to its more extreme manifestations, particularly focusing on the work of Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The talk examines Mannerism’s characteristics, its historical context, and key artists who contributed to its unique style.

Key Themes and Ideas:

• Definition and Timeline: Mannerism emerged in Florence and Rome around the 1520s, spreading through Italy and beyond, and began to be replaced by the Baroque style around the 1590s.
• “Mannerism which began around the 1520s in Florence and Rome and then spread throughout Italy and beyond until the 1590s when it began to be replaced by the Baroque.”
• Characteristics of Mannerism: The style is characterised by:
• “mannered and exaggerated style with unnatural colours and artificial elongated limbs, small heads, and contrived poses.”
• Unnatural colours
• Artificial elongated limbs
• Small heads
• Contrived poses
• Expressive, arty, self-conscious and sometimes bizarre style.
• Reaction to the High Renaissance: Mannerism arose as a departure from the High Renaissance ideals of balance, harmony, and accurate representation of the human form, exemplified by artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael.
• “It followed the High Renaissance typified by the work of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael who were seen to have reach the pinnacle of the accurate representation of the human form and the pinnacle of the representation of beauty. Artists such as Jacopo da Pontormo broke away from this with an expressive, arty, self-conscious and sometimes bizarre style.”
• Early Mannerist Influences in High Renaissance Art: Even within High Renaissance works, hints of the emerging Mannerist style can be observed, such as in Raphael’s “The School of Athens” with its “elongated figures and complex poses”. Michelangelo’s “Last Judgement” is described as bordering on the Mannerist due to its “dynamic poses and muscular forms”.
• Key Artists and Works: The talk presents a step-by-step journey from mild to extreme examples of Mannerism:
• Jacopo da Pontormo: His “The Entombment of Christ” (1525) is cited as an early example, characterised by “emotional intensity and unusual colour palette,” “twisting poses and elongated forms,” departing from the calm rationality of earlier Renaissance works. It also explores themes of introspection and emotional depth.
• Parmigianino: “Madonna with the Long Neck” (1534-1540) is presented as the painting “that is typically used to exemplify the Mannerist style.” Key features are “the elongated neck and exaggerated proportions and twisted poses.” The long neck is potentially a reference to divinity and purity, giving a more spiritual form of beauty.
• Niccolò dell’Abbate: “The Life of Psyche” (1550) narrates the mythological tale of Psyche and Eros. The series explores “beauty, desire, and transformation.” His lyrical quality blends narrative depth with an ethereal beauty.
• Sofonisba Anguissola: “Self-Portrait at the Easel” (1567) is “an intimate exploration of the artist’s identity and her role in a male-dominated field.” It merges beauty with intellectual depth.
• Lavinia Fontana: “Minerva Dressing” (1613) uniquely portrays the goddess at a vulnerable moment, combining classical themes with personal interpretation and breaking gender barriers in the arts. She is presented as beautiful and powerful.
• Jacopo Tintoretto: “The Last Supper” is a dramatic reinterpretation of the usual biblical scene, filled with dynamic movement and vibrant energy. The work’s crowded composition and overlapping of figures evoke a sense of urgency and chaos.
• El Greco: “The Disrobing of Christ” (1577-79) embodies emotional intensity and dramatic lighting, with “elongated figures…emphasising spirituality over physical realism.” “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz” is “a fusion of the earthly and divine realms.”
• Francesco Parmigianino: “Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror,” (1524) exemplifies Mannerism’s interest in complex perspectives and exaggerated forms. It challenges the traditional notion of portraiture as an accurate representation.
• Hans Holbein the Younger: “The Ambassadors” features a distorted skull at the bottom, an anamorphic element that serves as a memento mori, reminding viewers of the inevitability of death.
• Giorgio Vasari: “The Last Judgment” captures the moment of divine judgment, filled with swirling figures that exhibit dramatic poses and elongated forms, typical of Mannerism.
• Piero di Cosimo: “The Discovery of Honey by Bacchus” combines mythology and symbolism. One interpretation is that the painting symbolises the emergence of civilisation from the wild forest to the town.
• Agnolo Bronzino: “Allegory of Venus and Cupid” (1545) showcases exquisite technique and symbolic depth. The painting presents a cautionary tale about the seductive yet dangerous nature of love.
• Antonio da Correggio: “Jupiter and Io” stretches fantasy into the realms of Mannerism. The challenge of representing a cloud seducing a woman
• Giulio Romano: “The Fall of the Giants” captures the action’s intensity and emotion. The swirling forms of the giants contrast sharply with the serene expressions of the Olympian gods, highlighting the struggle between chaos and order.
• Giuseppe Arcimboldo: Arcimboldo is presented as the most extreme example of Mannerist creativity. His series “The Seasons” (e.g., “Summer”) and “The Four Elements” (e.g., “Fire”) use everyday objects to construct human-like figures, reflecting artifice, illusion, and the Renaissance preoccupation with the natural world. His portrait of “Vertumnus” depicts Emperor Rudolf II as the Roman god of seasons and transformation.
• Optical Distortion: The use of optical distortion, such as anamorphic images, is another aspect of Mannerism, exemplified by Holbein’s “The Ambassadors” with its distorted skull.
• Mannerism as a Transition: The talk concludes by suggesting that Mannerism is “sometimes seen as a stepping stone from the High Renaissance to the Baroque,” while arguing for its recognition as a distinct and original artistic movement.

Conclusion:

The talk argues that Mannerism is more than just a transitional phase in art history. It was a unique movement characterised by exaggerated forms, emotional intensity, intellectual complexity, and a fascination with artifice. It provided fertile ground for artists like Arcimboldo to explore the boundaries of creativity and imagination.

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