Today in art class we studied Girolamo Franceso Maria Mazzola, who is know as Parmigianino (because he was a young boy from Parma, Italy when he began his art career). Parmigianino lived from 1503-1540 during the Renaissance period in Italy, but he had his own style of painting that began a new period of art known as the Mannerist Period. Mannerist were known for exaggeration and drama in their work, which was very different from the realism of the Renaissance painters. At 21 years old Parmigianino painted a self-portrait that made him famous. Instead of painting what he really looked like, he painted his reflection from a convex mirror- creating an odd perspective. He also painted the portrait on a convex wooden surface instead of a flat surface.
Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror, 1524
We also read a portion of a long poem written in 1974 by John Ashbery that was about this painting. The poem begins with an in depth description of the painting:
As Parmigianino did it, the right hand
Bigger than the head, thrust at the viewer
And swerving easily away, as though to protect
What it advertises. A few leaded panes, old beams,
Fur, pleated muslin, a coral ring run together
In a movement supporting the face, which swims
Toward and away like the hand
Bigger than the head, thrust at the viewer
And swerving easily away, as though to protect
What it advertises. A few leaded panes, old beams,
Fur, pleated muslin, a coral ring run together
In a movement supporting the face, which swims
Toward and away like the hand
After taking a look at the painting and the poem I gave the kids each a small convex mirror. They studied their image in the mirror and we talked about the perspective.
Then they each drew their self-portrait on the back of a paper bowl, our convex surface.
Next the kids used watercolors to paint their portraits and the backgrounds.
Our version of a Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror!
Next week we will try out some other Mannerist techniques inspired by Parmigianino's work.
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