SEMIOTIC ELEMENTS ICONIC CONTEXTUAL EVALUATIVE
Title of Work: Texture: Smooth, Subject: Parmigianino’s Madonna The soft, serpentine curve
flowing textures The painting of the Long Neck (1534- of Mary's posture adds a
Madonna of dominate depicts the 1540) is a key example of fluid elegance to the
the Long Neck Madonna and Mannerist art, known for its composition, characteristic
Name of Color: Complementary Child, with an deliberate distortions and of the Mannerist style,
Artist: Colors elongated figure elegance. The Virgin while enhancing her
Parmigianino of the Virgin Mary Mary’s elongated neck and ethereal presence and
Medium:Oil on Shape: Elongated and holding the Christ torso emphasize a sense creating a sense of
wood exaggerated forms Child, surrounded of grace and beauty, delicate, elongated grace.
Size/ by angels. reflecting Mannerism’s
Dimension: Line: Curved, graceful departure from the realism According to Richard
Approximately lines guide the viewer's Kind: of the High Renaissance Lewis, et al. (2017), the
220 x 132 cm eye Italian Mannerist (Kleiner, 2016). These Mannerist believed that the
(86.6 x 51.9 in) oil painting distortions also carry body was most elegant
or 7' 1'' × 4' 4'' Imbalance: The symbolic meaning, with when posed so the limbs
Location: oversized column in Source: Mary's neck symbolizing and torso resembled the
Galleria degli the background adds Religious both beauty and her divine letter S. They called this
Uffizi, to the surreal feel. Iconography, nature. The elongated pose the serpentinata, or
Florence, Italy Stylictic Christ child foreshadows the twisting of the live
A Whose Composition: The Innovation of his future death, adding a snake in motion. Many of
Collection: figures are crowded on Mannerism subtle layer of tragedy to the distortions in Madonna
Part of the one side, while the the piece (Kleiner, 2016). of the Long Neck are
collection of other side feels empty, Type: caused by the characters
the Uffizi creating tension Representational being forced to conform to
Gallery S-like shapes.
Value/Price: Elongation of
This piece is Figures: The Madonna
considered and baby Jesus have
invaluable unnaturally long necks
and limbs
