From "Bizzarie di varie Figure" 1624

This 1624 etching from Giovanni Battista Bracelli's series "Bizzarie di varie Figure" is a striking example of Mannerist artistic style. The artwork features two figures, rendered entirely as contorted, overlapping spirals. Bracelli's intricate, almost grotesque figures, embody the Mannerist emphasis on artificiality, exaggerated gesture, and a playful subversion of classical ideals. The work evokes a sense of both beauty and strangeness, reflecting the playful and intellectually challenging spirit of Mannerism.