AGNOLO
(1503-1572)
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AGNOLO (1503-1572) |
Developing out of the Renaissance, and inspired by the late works
of Michelangelo, a group of painters, rejected balance and harmony
favored by Renaissance artists such as Raphael and DaVinci in favor
of emotional intensity and ambiguity. These so-called Mannerist
painters used severe distortions of perspective and scale; complex
and crowded compositions; strong, sometimes harsh or discordant
colors; and elongated figures in exaggerated poses. In many ways,
Mannerism became the fore-runner of the Baroque style.
Bronzino was the best portrayer of the frozen, rigid etiquette of
the Grand Duke's court in Florence. His career is interwoven with the
history of Mannerism. on which he left his own mark. As the official
painter of the Grand Duchy and of a small circle of cultured
aristocrats, Bronzino developed his own style, quite distinct from
that of the early Renaissance In addition to an almost maniacal
insistence on accurate drawing, Bronzino added his own very personal
use of color which he applied in a clear and compact fashion that
almost gave the effect of varnish.
By 1540 Bronzino was the darling of the Medici court and
Florentine aristocracy, not least thanks to his literary talents, for
he was also poet. He alternated his production of smooth, almost
crystalline portraits, with noteworthy decorative schemes, such as
the frescos in the Medici villas, and from 1560 onward, he produced
numerous religious paintings for altars in the major Florentine
churches.
For information on individual works, and enlargement of picture, click on thumbnail.
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