When Mannerism emerged as a field of art historical study during the first part of the twentieth century, it was construed as a moment of crisis. To proponents of Geistesgeschichte such as Max Dvořák, Walter Friedlaender, and Erwin Panofsky or Marxists like Friedrich Antal and Arnold Hauser, Mannerism became a token of crises, either of a philosophical and existential nature or an outcome of tensions in the socio-economic base. Much criticism of these scholarly approaches has since emerged from different ideological and methodological perspectives, including that of John Shearman who during the 1960s argued for a “stylish style,” indifferent to societal change. The aim of this session is not to rehearse the historiography but to reconsider Mannerism and ruptures in the social fabric during man-made or natural disasters and crises. Case studies might address how the ostentatious use of artifice bore meaning beyond purely pictorial concerns, or how the self-referentiality of Mannerism was deployed polemically when the foundation of art was under attack as during the controversy over Michelangelo’s Last Judgment or the outbreaks of transalpine iconoclasms.

Papers on works in all media and from a variety of geographical regions are welcome. Please submit an abstract of max. 200 words before June 25 to hansenmsuw.edu.

Organizers:
Elena Calvillo, University of Richmond, VA
Morten Steen Hansen, University of Washington, Seattle