The Development of Artistic Trends Across Eras: Mannerism, 1520s-1590s
| Mannerism was an artistic style that emerged in Italy at the end of the High Renaissance, roughly from the 1520s to the 1590s, when it began to give way to the Baroque style. Beginning in Florence and Rome, the movement later spread across northern Italy and into much of central and northern Europe. This change marked a departure from the idealized naturalism and climax of perfection that naturalistic painting had reached in Renaissance Italy. Artists in 16th-century Florence and Rome started to move from classical influences and toward a more intellectual and expressive approach. Mannerist art is defined by its self-aware cultivation of elegance and technical facility. It ushered in a veer from authentic portrayals of figures and subjects, a rejection of harmony, and the development of a dramatic new style unconfined by the pictorial plane, reality, or literal correctness. Radical asymmetry, artifice, and the decorative also informed this movement. Figures in Mannerist works often feature graceful yet elongated limbs, small heads, and stylized facial features. Their poses can appear difficult or contrived, showcasing a deliberate artiness. New discoveries in science had led society away from Humanist ideals, and paintings no longer placed man at the centre of the universe, but rather as separate, peripheral participants in the great mysteries of life. Some scholars divide Mannerism into two periods: Early Mannerism, which expressed an anti-traditional approach and lasted until 1535, followed by High Mannerism, where a more complex and artificial style appealed to more sophisticated patrons, becoming a kind of court style. The use of the term Mannerism to refer to a particular period of art history was pioneered by Luigi Lanzi, an 18th-century art historian and archaeologist. |
Key Features of Mannerism: |
If something looks elongated, stylized, and displays a sophisticated artiness, often with radical asymmetry and a rejection of natural harmony, it might be from the Mannerist period. |
Notable Mannerism artists include:
| • Jacopo da Pontormo • Parmigianino • Rosso Fiorentino • Giorgio Vasari • Daniele da Volterra |
• Francesco Salviati • Domenico Beccafumi • Federico Zuccari • Pellegrino Tibaldi • Bronzino |
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Artists and Art of Note in Mannerism |
Jacopo da Pontormo (1494–1557) |
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Born Jacopo Carucci, Pontormo was a leading Florentine painter of early Mannerism. His emotionally charged compositions, vivid, often jarring colours, and elongated figures marked a sharp break from the harmony of the High Renaissance. Described by Giorgio Vasari as eccentric and reclusive, Pontormo suffered from anxiety and obsessive habits, which he documented in a diary from 1554 until his death. This inner turmoil is mirrored in his art, with its disorienting spaces, unnatural poses, and spiritual intensity. His Deposition from the Cross (1525–1528) captures this mood: a flattened, dreamlike scene with no visible cross, where mourners swirl around Christ’s limp body in vivid colours and contorted forms. The crouching figure in the foreground embodies the painting’s profound melancholy and is, perhaps, a reflection of the artist’s own disposition. |
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Parmigianino (1503–1540) |
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Parmigianino, born Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola, was one of the most innovative painters of the Italian Mannerist movement. A prodigy from Parma, he developed a style defined by elegant elongation, fluid lines, and a preference for the mystical over the naturalistic ideals of the High Renaissance. Though he died young, his work had a lasting impact on both painting and printmaking. Known for his eccentric and restless spirit, Parmigianino was drawn to alchemy and the arcane - a fascination reflected in the ethereal light and dreamlike atmosphere of his paintings. His Mystic Marriage of St Catherine (1529), created during his Bologna period, reveals his mature artistic voice: graceful, elongated figures arranged in a harmonious composition, expressive brushwork, and a delicate balance of sacred symbolism and subtle sensuality. The painting features St Catherine receiving a ring from the Christ Child, symbolising her spiritual union with Christ, while the carefully orchestrated curves and interplay of colours create a sense of elegant movement and emotional depth. This work exemplifies Parmigianino’s ability to blend devotional themes with inventive style, marking him as a key figure in Mannerism. |
 Parmigianino,
Mystic Marriage of St Catherine, 1529 |
BedoresGallery.com
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