Smyth: Mannerism and Maniera

In the mid 1500s, an anti-classical style in art, aimed at countering the Renaissance, was developing in Italy.  It was called Mannerism and was based on practica (practice) and not on the imitation of nature.  According to Bellori, painting reached its height with Rafael and, therefore, an inevitable decline began.

At this time, artists began to depart from the norms of their studios and from their masters.  Malvasia stated these artists "became addicted to weak, not to say incorrect, disegno, to feeble, washed-out color, in short to a certain maniera" which led the artist far from the truth.

In the 19th century, Mannerism can to mean a decline that began in Florence and Rome after the mid 16th century with "excessive adherence to a manner full of unjustified, habitual peculiarities remote from nature, and due above all to three causes."  (Smyth)  The three causes that Smyth cites in his writings are:  1.  Imitation of a previous style;  2.  Routine dexterity through practive;  3.  Admixture of extravagance and caprice.  Gustiniani's view states that la maniera "depended on imagination working without regard for truth to nature or the example of previous masters and antiquity."  The artists Pontormo, Beccafumi, Parmigianino, and El Greco caused the emergence date of Mannerism to be moved up to the 1520s.  Later works of Michelangelo can be added to the list.  This anti-classical approach had a "disquieting expressiveness", like surrealism.  Vasari and Bronzino were said to have "mannered Mannerism".  (Smyth)

In the 1550s, the term Mannerism was used in a derogatory way.  It was felt that the figures depicted were too similar, unlike Rafael where one figure did not look like another.  The artists were creating figures that were "monotonously uniform"  in relation to other figures.  (Smyth)  Vasari felt that one should copy the beautiful elements of the figure.  He wrote in his Lives that Michelangelo defined the  "road to paintings facility in its principle object, the human body.   On the other hand, Dolce felt the monotonous reliance on the same form did not refer back to nature or reality.

Manneristic conventions include the consistent application of principles that govern form and movement.  The approach was said to lack a focal point, have flat light, elongation, angularity, flattened figures parallel to the picture plane turning in two to three directions, and monotonous.

Mannerism is a recurring phenomenon in art.  It is subjective art expressing the spiritual "through anti-classic forms, deformation, and abstraction."  (Smyth)  It is rebellious and expressionistic.