Mannerism

Though sometimes viewed as a decadent phase between the Renaissance and Baroque, Mannerism was crucial in expanding artistic boundaries. It influenced northern artists such as Spranger, Goltzius, and Bartholomeus Spranger, and set the stage for the theatrical dynamism of Baroque art. Mannerism’s embrace of ambiguity, exaggeration, and self-conscious artistry became a hallmark for later movements.