Mannerism is a style of art that emerged in the 16th century, and was characterised by its exaggerated, elongated, and complex forms. It is often seen as a reaction against the traditional Renaissance aesthetic, which was focused on creating an idealistic vision of the world. Mannerism has been described as a “transitional” style, between the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and it has had an influence on modern art.
Mannerist artists experimented with perspective and composition to create a sense of drama in their works. They used dynamic poses to convey emotion or tension between figures, as well as asymmetrical compositions to give their works a sense of energy.
They also used bright colours and non-naturalistic lighting to create theatrical effects. This style of painting was used by artists such as Michelangelo and Pontormo, who sought to create images that were both ambitious in their scale and intimate in their subject matter.
The idea of Mannerism has been embraced by many modern artists who have sought to develop its ideas further. The French painter Georges Seurat is one example; he used a pointillist technique which created images out of small dots of contrasting colours placed close together.
This technique allowed him to create highly detailed scenes with a strong sense of depth, creating a three-dimensional effect which was inspired by Mannerist painting techniques. Similarly, Salvador Dalí also drew from Mannerism when creating his Surrealist paintings; he often painted dreamlike landscapes with distorted figures and objects that appeared out of place or contextually strange.
In this way, Mannerism has been taken up by modern artists looking to express themselves in new ways or explore different techniques or subjects. While many modern works may not be directly influenced by Mannerism, they still embody some of its key principles: a focus on dramatic composition, dynamism between figures or objects, bright colouration and non-naturalistic lighting effects.
Conclusion:
In conclusion it can be said that Mannerism is indeed Modern Art; many contemporary artists have incorporated aspects of Mannerism into their work while adapting them for modern contexts. In this way they have created unique pieces which combine both traditional elements with new techniques to create something truly unique.