A Comparison of Renaissance and Mannerism Art Essay Example

and harmonious with nature. Linear perspective was developed as well as other techniques such as the use of light and shadow to give paintings a three-dimensional look. Oils became the medium of choice over tempera. Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Botticelli are just three of the very well known, studied, copied and admired artists of this era.

Mannerism develops and rather overlaps and intertwines toward the end of the Renaissance period around 1520. Several Renaissance artists also displayed Mannerist techniques, including Michelangelo, whose later works fall under the umbrella of this period. Both the Renaissance and Mannerism periods occur during religious and political turmoil in Europe, which seems to have exerted influence over the artists of the era. While the Church was a major patron of the arts especially during the early Renaissance, the conflicts that it was dealing with in the mid and later centuries allowed it less control over the artists of the time.

Mannerists were influenced by the artists of the Renaissance period, however, often strayed from the harmony and realism displayed in their art. Perspective often become unbalanced and at times distorted. Spaces were often filled and overcrowded. Figures became more elongated and displayed in unnatural poses. At times these paintings were felt to be provocative and not approved of by the Church. Mannerism occurred over a relatively short period of time at the end of the Renaissance and was followed by the Baroque period.

With its determination to go beyond classic realism and go beyond what is traditional, Mannerism is thought by some to be the forerunner of “Modern” art (“Mannerism,” 2011). Joachim Beuckelaer is a Renaissance artists who was born in Antwerp, Belgium

(“Joachim Beuckelaer,” 2011). One of his most well known works is a collection of four paintings called “The Elements”. He portrays scenes from what were considered the four earthly elements of the time, Water, Air, Fire and Earth. The scenes mostly take place in market areas with the exception of “Fire” which takes place in a kitchen.

The scenes are portrayed realistically and three dimensionally with perspective and light and shadow. They contain many figures depicted doing daily activities and there are suggestions of religious considerations in the backgrounds. “The Elements – Water” for example contain twelve different types of fish, which may represent the twelve Disciples of Christ. Also, seen through the arch in the painting is thought to be Jesus encouraging his Disciples to place their nets back into the sea after many days of futile fishing only to pull them out this time full. In his painting, his characters are depicted with emotion.

The older woman on the left side is displaying some of the fish for sale. She appears weary and you can see the lines on her face and neck and slight drooping of her jowls that may indicate she’s been doing this for many years and this is just another day at the market. The man portrayed on the right side of the painting appears more eager. He is perhaps displaying to a buyer a quality fish that they may want to consider. The street appears busy and bustling behind them. The fish and steaks and baskets they are contained in are rendered very realistically. There are many vibrant colors and characters that keep one interested in this painting.

A Mannerist painter

born in Italy, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, also painted a series of works based upon the elements ("Guisseppe Arcimboldo,” 2011). His depiction however was to take the objects of the elements and create portraits. In his depiction of “Water” you see a female portrait consisting of her head and shoulders entirely comprised of sea life. One can see an octopus gracefully draping over one shoulder, a sea lion resting comfortably over her left ear and various corals and fountains make up part of the hairline. This woman is wearing a pearl necklace and earrings, perhaps another reference to the sea where these gems are obtained?

Each individual animal is rendered very realistically. In the manner of a Renaissance artist, Arcimboldo uses vibrant colors, nature and great realistic detail rendering his sea creatures keeping us interested in the painting, continually looking for whatever else we can find. There are no religious references in his painting. And in the style of Mannerism, he perhaps was inspired by the Renaissance style of painting and made it his own, allowing to us to see more than what was beyond the visible accompanied by a sense of humor.

References

• Giuseppe Arcimboldo. (2011). In Art Encyclopedia: 2011. Retrieved from http://www. visual-arts-cork. com/old-masters/arcimboldo. htm
• Joachim Beuckelaer. (2011). Retrieved June 9, 2011 from the Wikipedia Wiki: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Joachim_Beuckelaer
• Mannerism. (2011). In Art Encyclopedia: 2011. Retrieved from http://www. visual-arts-cork. com/history-of-art/mannerism. htm
• Minneapolis Institute of Arts. (1998). The mannerist style and the lamentation: docent manual.
• Retrieved from http://www. artsconnected. org/resource/93691/the-mannerist-style-and-the-lamentation-docent-manual