Why was the church against mannerism - the style in which El Greco, Arcimboldo and others worked

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Mannerism is a style that emerged in 1530 and existed until the end of the century. It is named after maniera, an Italian term meaning "style" or "manner." Also known as the late Renaissance, Mannerism is seen as a bridge between the High Renaissance and the Baroque period. Mannerism took an ornate aesthetic and adapted it as extravagance. The most famous masters of mannerism are El Greco, Parmigianino, Giuseppe Arcimboldo and others. Why did the church convene the Council of Trent in 1562, and how is this event related to the development of the new mannerism?

The term "mannerism"

As mentioned above, the term Mannerism is derived from the Italian maniera, meaning style. The 16th-century artist and critic Vasari, who was himself a mannerist, believed that mastery in painting required sophistication, ingenuity and virtuoso technique - criteria that emphasized the artist's intelligence. The same criteria can be ranked among the features of the new movement.

The artificiality of mannerism - a bizarre, sometimes acidic color, illogical contraction of space, elongated proportions and exaggerated anatomy of figures in intricate snake poses - often evoke feelings of anxiety. The works seem strange and disturbing despite their superficial naturalism. Interestingly, mannerism coincided with a period of upheaval. This was the time of the Reformation, the plague and the sack of Rome. After its origins in central Italy around 1520, Mannerism spread to other regions of Italy and northern Europe.

Style characteristic

During the Renaissance, Italian artists drew inspiration from the ideal forms and harmonious compositions of antiquity. Mannerist painters, on the other hand, took the principles established during the Renaissance to new extremes, culminating in aesthetics.

Although Mannerist painters were interested in the perfectionism portrayed by the High Renaissance masters, they did not seek to reproduce it. They exaggerated the principles of the Renaissance, resulting in works that aspired to idealism. Instead of accepting the harmonious ideals of Raphael and Michelangelo, the Mannerists went even further. They created artificial compositions that reflected new techniques and skills in creating sophisticated elegance.

1. The main method by which the mannerists developed their movement is exaggeration of figures and elements … For example, the early works of the Italian artist Parmigianino reflected figures with incredibly elongated limbs and oddly spaced bodies. These elongated and twisted shapes, according to Parmigianino, were supposed to create the effect of movement and enhance the drama.

2. Generous decorations is another way the Mannerists took the sensuality of the Renaissance to the extreme. While High Renaissance masters generally did not include decorativeness in their work, early Renaissance artists such as Sandro Botticelli made extensive use of these nuances. Mannerist painters, on the other hand, redefined this interest in intricate ornamentation. They sought to cover both canvases and sculptures with a lavish abundance of decorative elements. One of the artists who perfected this concept to a progressive level is Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The painter created original portraits of people, whose images were fantasized from compositions of various plants, animals and even food.

3. Finally, the mannerists abandoned the naturalistic colors used by High Renaissance artists. Instead, they used artificial and bright colors … The unnatural hues are especially noticeable in the work of Jacopo da Pontormo, an Italian artist whose rich colors created a new palette of the Renaissance.

This approach to color is also associated with the Spanish painter El Greco. Like other mannerists, El Greco approached earlier artists without attempting to reproduce or copy their work. This is exactly how ghostly, somewhere mystical images were created in painting and sculpture. However, society was not ready for such expressive figures. More precisely, the church was not ready for them. Mannerist art has come under serious suspicion of encroaching on dignity, restraint, and decency.

In the Roman Catholic Church, there was even a tendency towards the development of Puritanism. The Council of Church Fathers, originally convened to restore order in the face of Protestant attacks, opened in Trent in 1562. In the Council of Trent, which proclaimed the "Counter-Reformation" in Catholic countries, it was decided that from now on, the mystical and supernatural aspects of religious experience would be given special attention. That is, from now on it was supposed to eradicate all the inexplicable and supernatural.

Yes, Mannerism is part of the Renaissance, the most influential art movement in art history. However, Mannerism was not as popular as the early works of the Golden Age. However, its distinctive aesthetic continues to captivate Mannerist fans, making the style one of the most fascinating hidden treasures in art history.