We began today’s class by finishing the lecture on Mannerism. We looked at the works by Agnolo Bronzino, including Allegory of Venus and Cupid. The painting was given as a gift from Cosimo to the King of France, and elements within the work can be viewed as symbols of syphilis, which the King of France suffered from. The work would have certainly served as a conversation piece, as a group could endlessly discuss the meaning of the rather strange assortment of characters and symbols.
We then transitioned to a discussion of the High Renaissance in Northern Europe. It was first important to note that there is a rather vague distinction between the High Renaissance and Mannerism in Northern Europe. There was a wide range of art being produced in Northern Europe at the time, with some artists continuing medieval work, while others adopted the styles of Italian Renaissance men. The protestant reformation had a significant impact not only on religion in Northern Europe but also on the art that was being produced. We began considering the printed works of Dürer and comparing his mastered printmaking technique with past works.