Madonna with the Long Neck painted by Parmigianino from 1535 to 1540 is a great example of Mannerist art. The composition is focused on Virgin Mary sitting with Jesus on her knees. Interestingly enough, the elongated and beautiful shape of the body of the Virgin Mary is similar to that of the Christ Child she holds in her arms.
However, the painting does not seem symmetrical because, on the left-hand side, a group of angels is represented in the foreground while an architectural column can be seen on the right side without an opposing object. Therefore, it looks like there is empty space in the scene. It should also be mentioned that the elongated figures and lack of symmetry contribute to the sophisticated nature of the painting. The artist used bright colors and smooth surfaces to make his work look like a porcelain sculpture.
Depictions of Madonna and child were very common art forms during the Rennaissance period. Originally, this painting was commissioned by noblewoman Elena Baiardi for her family chapel in the church of Parma. This was the principle work of Parmigianino in his last period, he worked on it for six years but was never completed due to his death in 1540.This painting is one of Parmigianino's most controversial works and has been analyzed by many critics. It shows the Madonna, seated on a high pedestal and clothed in beautiful robes, holding the baby Jesus on her lap. To the left of the picture are four angels crowded around the Madonna, looking admiringly on Christ. Parmigianino studied and admired the grace and poise in Raphael's art, but he has remodeled the figures from the old master's work and turned them into almost unearthly creatures: their limbs, ivory marble skin, blithe attitude, all portray a different idea of ideal beauty.The Madonna does not have normal human proportions; her neck, shoulders and fingers have all been elongated to make her appear more elegant and graceful. Her hair is also elaborately curled and decorated with pearls to frame her beautiful face and complexion. The robes she is wearing are luxurious and flowing. Instead of giving a sense of equilibrium and balance to his arrangement, Parmigianino has chosen to pack all the angels claustrophobically to the left of the Madonna. Yet, the space to the right of her is open, except for the tall figure of St Jerome who has been so reduced in size he only just about reaches the Madonna's knee.The subject of this piece is derived from medieval hymns which compared the Virgin's neck to a great ivory tower or column. Therefore the exaggerated length of the Virgin's limbs and those of her son and the presence of columns in the background of the painting, are symbolic of the painting's religious value.
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By: Saumya Jindal
When one looks at the painting, the first thing one notices is the extra elongated face and neck of the Virgin Mary in the painting, representing the manneristic art.
With one hand placed on her heart as a gesture of love while setting her gaze on the toddler in her lap, i.e., the baby Jesus. The baby, though, is naked, in a position that can be associated with that of Christ on the cross. While on the left children in the form of angels populate the picture, no one of them is actually looking at either the Christ or the Virgin. They seem to be lost somewhere else, except for one at the corner most point on the left. While on the right, st Jerome is painted holding a scroll representing the translation of the Bible, which is seen as small in stature, as if representing the earthliness of the saint as compared to the ethereal dimension of the others in the painting.
