Figura Serpentinata

Figura Serpentinata ( Italian: serpentino " snake-like " ) is the name for a sinuous painted or plastic running figure. In the ornamentation is called so specifically spiral motifs.

The Figura Serpentinata is a typical characteristic of Mannerism. Early representations of such figures screwed works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo.

There is probably no more characteristic formula of Mannerism as those of the " figura serpentinata ". The painter and theorist Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo (1538-1600) tells how Masons mentioned the following in his Trattato dell'arte della pittura from 1584 of the " figura serpentinata ":

" The recommended shape Ideal united, after Lomazzo, three qualities: pyramid shape, movement and a certain numerical proportion, brought all three into one unit. Here, the priority is the to, that is, the meandering motion, while the pyramid form, in exact proportions, will form the conical stereometric outline. "

The Serpentinatastil developed as Bousquet suspected, possibly with the rediscovery of the Laocoon Group in the year 1506. Especially when Michelangelo intended this sculpture have left a strong impression. Also Shearman is sure that the " figura serpentinata " an invention is Michelangelo. As proof he is the " winner ", Michelangelo (1527-1528) for the tomb of Julius II created.

Joachim Poeschke says that Michelangelo, the motif of figura serpentinata is thematically related. When Mannerism, it is formally limited (see Giambologna: The Rape of the Sabine Women 1581-83, Mercury 1564-80 ).

However, Maurer can rarely see a Serpentinierung the figure in Michelangelo's work. He sees Beccafumi as a pioneer of Serpentinatastils. His pupil Marco Pino joined arguably the impressions of his master with those from Salviati, Parmigianino and possibly Michelangelo's works. His works are characterized by Serpentinata designs. Self says Paolo Pino in his Dialogo della Pittura that the pose of the figures should be varied and graceful, and in all his works should be cited at least one character who completely twisted, is ambivalent and difficult.

The painting, freer than the plastic, which is very strongly committed to nature, as Maurer emphasized play with the character. You can remodel overstretch, geometricize, dissolve, caricature, colorize, wind, depending on the destination and message of the image. With the relaxation of the Renaissance standards and the development of Serpentinata style also happened one as well understandable Maurer argues, systematization of Serpentinata structures. Uniformity entered, so that the figures declining as physical strength, passion, excitement and semantic conciseness. Movements seem unmotivated to, not driven by a will, but of pure form will. Their actions only partially powerless, not subject to gravity and leverage.