Bronzino, the artist

Agnolo di Cosimo Mariano di Tori, (Monticelli in 1503, is better known by his nickname Bronzino. He received his training from Jacopo Pontormo, whose style is categorised as Early Maniera, identifiable by its elongated forms and unbalanced poses. As an independent artist he cultivated his unique look, categorised as a High Maniera aesthetic, defined by elegant porcelain-skinned figures with relaxed poses and expressions. His High Maniera style, paired with his use of the oil technique, allowed Bronzino to create hyper-realistic portraits that recreated in incredible detail of the faces and clothing of his sitters. As the court painter for the Medici family he produced portraits for the Duke, the Duchess, and their children, and their surrounding circle. Both a painter and a poet, Bronzino became immersed in the Florentine intellectual community, exchanging poetry between other prominent writers in the city. The concept of painting as ‘silent poetry’ led to many of his portraits including references to the works of Dante and Petrarch, manifested in both physical representations of books, as well as in the manner in which he physically renders his sitters.