Naar voren lopende man 1513 - 1529

Parmigianino made this drawing of a striding man with a stick in pen and brown ink, heightened with white, on blue prepared paper. The artist was working in Italy during the High Renaissance, when artists were deeply engaged with classical ideals of beauty and the accurate depiction of the human form. Parmigianino was interested in something different. Here, the figure’s limbs are elongated and his pose is somewhat affected. This drawing might represent a moment when artists began to turn away from Renaissance naturalism towards Mannerism. It's possible that the changing social and political conditions of Italy at that time, with its aristocratic patrons and emphasis on courtly grace, may have influenced Parmigianino's style. By researching the patronage networks and artistic theories of the period, we can start to understand how Parmigianino’s art both reflected and shaped the cultural values of his time.