Post #5 Late Renaissance/Mannerism

Toward the later parts of the renaissance there was a shift from the ideals of the art that was created during the high renaissance. The importance of things like accurate human anatomy, harmony, balance and color were now purposefully ignored and skewed in favor of pieces that created tension in their composition and figures that became elongated and contorted. Just as humanism described the ways of old,  art historians would later call this new movement mannerism. Two paintings that really show the change from the high renaissance are Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck and Pontormo’s Entombment. The first thing I notice about these paintings are the figures and how they are composed. In the Madonna, her figure is stretched and elongated in an unnatural way, something that conflicts the high renaissance. You can see this in her neck and hands, and also the long leg on the figure to her left. Another thing that is interesting is just the sheer size of the Madonna figure. Looking at her legs and lap, if she were to stand, she would be a very tall, stretched and her proportions would not be one of a human. Finding a way to compact very large figures in a smaller space is use of the mannerist style. I have to talk about this Christ child that she holds in her lap because it is so noticeably bizarre. To start his size and the way his limbs have been elongated make him look like a toddler but with the head of an infant. He also appears lifeless, and I can very much appreciate the foreshadowing of the death of Christ in this way, but out of context, it is a very strange image to see the Madonna so serene, looking down at her giant lifeless baby. The way the emotions clash and the overall dark colors make the piece visually heavy. In the Entombment, there is not such a profound elongation to the figures, if any at all. However, it is still a very tense composition, mostly due to how the figures are posed. First person I notice in this painting is the individual in the squat position supporting Christ. Being on his tip toes, it gives the viewer a sense of unease, that he could fall at any time. The other two figures that are unsoundly posed are the lady in green at the top of the painting and the one with the pink cloth on her head. Both are so out stretched to the viewer to get a look at Christ that it seems like they could topple out of the painting and on the the floor. In all honesty I can't tell if they are supposed to be on the same ground as the foreground or if they are to be standing on something but the way that teeter is very unsettling, a big shift from the strive for harmony. What also really stands out about this painting is the use of color. During the high renaissance color was used to show things as naturally and realistic as they could. In this painting it appears that color is used more for the sake of color. As seen by the individual in the squat position who has a a strangely pink back, highlighted by his blue belly. There is an olive green hue to the skin of Christ that somewhat matches the cloth draped across his body that but does not appear to be a natural skin tone. It is interesting that there are splashes of green both top and bottom and then deep red flanking both sides of Christ, while pink swirls throughout. These two paintings show elements of mannerism in their use of elongated and over sized figures, unstable and unnatural poses, constricting large subject matter in smaller space and by giving the viewer an overall sense of tension, unease and melancholy.