VENETIAN RENAISSANCE: INTERNATIONAL MANNERISM

VENETIAN RENAISSANCE: INTERNATIONAL MANNERISM I of II

Death as a theme in Renaissance art

The cold fact and the obvious math:
Death as the "great leveler" –Holbein, Shakespeare

The open question and spiritual dimension
The afterlife as the "great leveler" –

(Dante): various kinds and degrees of punishment
Bosch: everyone belongs in Hell (including himself)
Islam, Christianity: emphasis on the last judgment

Is God necessary for social stability?

Critias (a Sophist from the time of Socrates): religion was invented by a clever individual to make sure that people would behave "rightly" even when nobody (the Law) was looking.

The prosperity of Venice

Geography
Economy
Surplus wealth allows for great learning;

-Leisure and resources

Library of St. Mark

Procession in St. Mark’s Square

Painting in Venice

Oil on canvas was the medium of choice : recall Durer's travels to Venice (1495+)

-Giovanni Bellini

St. Jerome Reading

Madonna and Child

-Giorgione

Pastoral Concert

Tempest

-Titian

Assumption of the Virgin

International Mannerism

Maniera in Italian denotes manner or style. In English, "mannered" indicates, somewhat derogatorially, a highly personal, idiosyncratic, affected, exaggerated mode of behavior. In the arts all forms of mannerism imply fluency, virtuosity of execution, a high degree of sophistication, a sense of stylish-ness, often leading to certain overrefinement and self-consciously contrived attitudes."

Vasari uses the term de maniera to refer to "working in the manner of Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael."

-the reduction of the aforementioned greats’ techniques to a system of rules.

-1) Rosso Fiorentino’s Moses Defending the Daughters of Jethro

-2) Giovanni Bologna Rape of the Sabine Women

But knowing the rules soon turned into reacting to them and breaking them.

Jacopa Da Pontormo, Descent from the Cross (1529)

-has many qualities of early Mannerist painting: 1) crowded figures pushing forward and blotting out setting, 2) figures are organized around frame rather than center as had been customary, 3) no clear focal point, 4) space is manipulated insofar as it seems too shallow to contain the action within it (e.g., see the head above Christ), 5) twisting of figures, 6) juxtaposing colors, 7) departure from Renaissance harmony.

-1) Pontormo’s Joseph with Jacob in Egypt

-2) Parmigiano’s Madonna with the Long Neck

-delicate and graceful even though space and proportions and events seemingly clash

-3) Bronzino Allegory of Venus

-meaning is ambiguous. Cupid is fondling his mother, as Time pulls back curtain to reveal the whole thing. Folly throws rose petals.

-Masks-sign of deceit

-Even Bronzino's portraiture could be Mannerist; e.g., Portrait of a Young Man (1530s)

-aristocratic, without revealing personality

Mannerism in sculpture
1) Bologna, Rape of the Sabine Women

-Bologna is clearly aware of history of art:

a) Laocoon Group influence
b) Hercules Strangling Antaeus (by Pollaiuolo)

Mannerism in Architecture

1) Giulio Romano, Palazzo del Te in Mantua, Italy

                        -keystones seem to be slipping
                        -incongruity b/t columns and architraves
                        -some triglyphs seem unsupported

But only those who are sophisticated in the language, technique, and rules of art can enjoy mannerism. Thus, mannerism lasts only from about 1530-1590.