“An unsuccessful prison break; a temporary slipping of the chains”.  – Art historian Waldemar Januszczak on Mannerism’s break with the Renaissance.

The Late Renaissance is also frequently known as the Mannerist period, where less naturalised portrayals in art, became a departure from the harmony and balance of the High Renaissance and paved the way for the baroque figures. Exaggerated poses, and dynamic compositions became the norm, and artists began to explore intellectual subject matter, with a matter.