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Mannerism and Baroque

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Mannerism and Baroque

Western Governors University
Literature, Arts and the Humanities: Analysis and Interpretation
IWT1

May 8, 2013

Mannerism and Baroque
If you study art history at any length, you will become aware of the many different periods and their individual characteristics. There are prime times throughout art history that the general populations can easily identify such as Renaissance or Impressionism. They might even be able to name a few of the artists or their artwork. As you delve further into the rich history of art, you start to notice many deviations in the style of artists who are transitioning into a new artistic period. At first look, you might not see the subtle difference in the art from the norm from that period. An overlooked period in art history is the period between the Renaissance and the Baroque periods, the Mannerism period. This period was actually a rejection of the High Renaissance era.
Mannerism is the artistic period from 1520- 1600. The word mannerism is derived from the Italian word maneria, which means style or stylishness. “Art began to lose its momentum at the end of the High Renaissance, beginning of the Mannerism period because it coincided with a period of upheaval that was torn by the Reformation, plague, and the devastating Sack of Rome.” ("The National Gallery of Art," 2013, para. 2). One of the greatest reasons for the shift in artistic style is that the Catholic Church was in chaos. The Catholic Church was the biggest patron of artist during this time. Martin Luther had just accused the Catholic church of corruption and excess. The Catholic Church had to go through a reformation of its own. Like everyone, the artists of this timeframe were confused about where that left them and what they believed. Their art was a reflection of that. Some characteristics of the period include theatricality and dramatic use of light and space.
Mannerism can be broken into two stages. The first stage is called early mannerism. It is sometimes referred to “anti-classical” because the artists seemed to be rejecting the forms of their masters. The artists of the Mannerism era portrayed their subjects with elongated proportions and overstated anatomy. The forms in the art pieces are usually in twisting poses. The work of the mannerism period is often unsettling, full of torturous emotion. Artwork from the mannerism period is also classified with clashing, almost acid colors.
The second phase is referred to as high maneria or mannerism. Artists of this phase looked to their older contemporary Michelangelo as a model. These artists’ work was art-imitating art, as opposed to art imitating nature. Maneria art pairs overstated elegance with exceptional attention to the surface and detail. The subjects of artwork rarely displayed emotion. The works of this timeframe are often called “cold” or “aloof”. In Italy, the mannerist were centered primarily and Florence and Rome. Many of the artists fled the city after a Sack of Rome. This led to the style being scattered throughout Italy and Europe. The themes of the artwork were often bizarre. They were usually a mixture of mythology, classicism, and Christianity. One of the greatest examples of Mannerist art is Venus Cupid Folly and Time by Angelo Bronzino.
The Baroque period occurred on 1600 to approximately 1750. The word baroque comes from the Portuguese word barocca meaning pearl of irregular shape. Many historical events occurred during the baroque period. The death of Queen Elizabeth I, the establishment of the Jamestown settlement in North America, the ascension of King Louis XIII in France, the 30 Year War, and arrival of the Pilgrims in North America to name a few. In the seventeenth century, the city of Rome became the model indication of Catholic dignity and satisfaction articulated in all the arts. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d.) “The popularity and success of the "baroque" was encouraged by the Catholic Church when it decided that the spectacle of the baroque artists' style could communicate religious themes in direct and emotional attachment. The secular nobles also saw the dramatic style of baroque architecture and art as a means of impressing visitors and prospective competitors.” ("ArtinPicture.com," 2013, para. 2) The Baroque period is known for its extravagance and eccentricity. Chiaroscuro and tenebrism are a large part of Baroque art. Some of the main characteristics of the baroque era are of the portrayals feel emotionally and tangibly real. The artists wanted you to participate in the scene. Baroque artists painted real people with all of their imperfections. The artists rendered religious figures and saints in theological settings and miracles portrayed as ordinary individuals in common goings-on. Gian Lorenzo Bernini is one of the greatest artists to emerge out of the Baroque period. Some of Bernini’s works include The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, Rape of Persephone, and the Triton Fountain at the Piazza Barberini. Known for extravagant, exuberant, and intricate details the baroque style has influenced architecture, furnishings, music and it has carried into modern designs. You can pick baroque inspired designs out everywhere. Fabric, furniture, advertising, computer fonts, and tattoos are some places you will see examples of this.
In comparing Mannerist and Baroque art there are several differences in style and composition. The Mannerist concentrated more on the positioning of the subjects than the emotion that it portrayed. There are usually no visible light sources but an complete light that seems to come from everywhere. “There is also a pattern in the juxtaposition of the figures that sit weightlessly and with little or no emotional attachment to the viewer. The Baroque painting emotionally attracts the viewer with its naturalistic point of view, often showing so much intensity or gruesomeness that the reaction to it is surprising and shocking. The composition is well planned out in order to invite the viewer into the picture plane and concentrates less on the pattern of the figures and more on a linear and realistic positioning. In addition, usually there is a light source seeping into the scene from one direction.”(Williamson, 2006) In the 1600s, the mannerists were accused of disrupting the unity of the renaissance classicism. Looking back, the mannerist movement actually supplied the relationship between Renaissance perfection and the emotional Baroque art that would be developed in the 17th century.

References
Mannerism. (“n.d.” ). Retrieved from http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/mannerism.htm
Minneapolis Institute of Arts (1998). The Mannerist Style and the Lamentation. Retrieved from http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/93691/the-mannerist-style-and-the-lamentation
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). http://www.metmuseum.org
Tour: Mannerism. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg21/gg21-over1.html#jump
What is Baroque. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.artinthepicture.com/styles/Baroque/
Williamson, K. (2006). Baroque Art. Unpublished manuscript. Retrieved from academic.evergreen.edu/curricular/flatart/pdf%20handouts/Art%20History%20Lecture%20PDFs/baroqueessay.pdf

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