Understanding art: mannerism (aka why Bronzino is my favourite artist) Imagine this: you’re a painter in Italy around 1570. The Renaissance has just produced masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel, the Mona Lisa, and Raphael’s School of Athens. How do you follow these legends? Enter Mannerism, where artists like Bronzino met the challenge with three key elements: elegance, mastery, and mystery. First, elegance. Look at Bronzino’s portrait of a young woman and her child. The serene stare, intricate