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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in">The painting, Madonna with a Long Neck, is an incredibly important piece of art in the Renaissance, and even today.<span>  </span>This painting, made in 1535 by Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (known as Parmigianino), was able to capture the very essence of this era of Art (Britannica).<span>  </span>It encompasses both one of the most iconic images in Christianity and the artistic practice of Mannerism, and so must be preserved.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in">The painting itself is very interesting, even without analyzing it that much.<span>  </span>At the very front of the picture is fairly typical of religious paintings; Mary holding a baby Jesus with angels looking on in awe, but there are several strange things one notices.<span>  </span>Mary herself has very large hands and a thin, elongated neck.<span>  </span>The baby Jesus is actually about the size of a small child, though he has the features of an infant.<span>  </span>In the background is a miniature version of St. Jerome, and the background itself seems out of perspective and flattened (Kaitlin).<span>  </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in">This is all due to the painting being of the Mannerist style, which Parmigianino was a heavy proponent of (Britannica).<span>   </span>The elements of this style were similar to the realistic style at the time, but with a heavy focus on the people in the foreground with often disproportionate limbs and a rather flat background (Britannica).<span>  </span><span> </span>A similar piece of mannerist art is Perseus and Andromeda by Joachim Wtewael, which featured a similar exaggerated limbs and distorted perceptions, though the theme was largely different (Britannica).<span>  </span>Mannerism was considered to be a response to Naturalism and Classicism, (Britannica).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in">Madonna with a Long Neck was a piece of religious iconography, featuring the incredibly popular theme of Mary holding the baby Jesus (Lamarre).<span>  </span>The baby, who was gigantic in the painting, is reflective of a common medieval theme, where the baby Jesus was large as he was the central image of the painting (Lamarre).<span>  </span>Meanwhile, Mary’s neck and fingers were made long in order to make her appear more graceful and elegant (Britannica).<span>  </span>Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism, the main religion of Italy, was a very powerful influence, and undoubtedly helped to shape this painting (Britannica).<span>  </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in">The painting itself was well received in its time and Parmigianino was a fairly well known artist (Britannica).<span>  </span>Today, the painting is recognized as a masterpiece (Kaitlin).<span>  </span>Because of everything it represents; Mannerism, Religious Iconography, and the influence of Christianity, this piece needs to be preserved.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center" align="center">Works Cited</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kaitlin. "Madonna with the Long Neck |." Keeping History Alive. N.p., 28 Nov. 2012. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A graduate in Art History’s blog on WordPress, which allowed me some insight into the painting as well as a modern take on its importance.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">"Parmigianino". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 3 Oct. 2013</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An article in Encyclopedia Britannica which gave me information on the artist of the painting.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Lamarre, Mark. The Symbolic Functions of the Enthroned Virgin in the Cathedral of Chartres. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2013.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An article that gave me information on some historical context of religious iconography.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">"Mannerism (art)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An article in Encyclopedia Britannica which gave me information on the artistic style of the painting.</p>
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