The focus of this winter’s lecture series is on the generation of Mannerist artists working in Italy during the time of Michelangelo. In these weekly, illustrated talks, director Jeffrey Mims presents a group of majestically creative painters – famous in their own time, but less well known today. Beginning with artists such as Andrea del Sarto, Daniele da Volterra, and Francesco Salviati, each lecture includes drawings and paintings of the individual artist, with biographical anecdotes and historical comparisons to better appreciate this distinctive period of art.
An offshoot to this study of Mannerist artists was a look at one of the distinguishing characteristics used by many of these Italian artists, “cangiantismo”. Used primarily in the painting of drapery, the “cangiante” effect is a system of changing color tones in the shift from dark to light, imitating the effect of iridescence, or shot silk and often used during this period in fresco decoration.
Mims Studios Blog 