Mannerism (from “maniera” in Italian) was a style in
European art that emerged in the later years of Renaissance at the 16th century
in Italy. Mannerism was the reaction to the harmonious ideas of Renaissance and
artist such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo, which is why the
subjects in Mannerism were presented with exaggerated ideal qualities, often
resulting in compositions that are asymmetrical or unnaturally elegant.
