Parmigianino's Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror: Alchemy and Art at the Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna is home to Parmigianino's "Autoritratto allo specchio" (Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror), created circa 1524. Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (1503–1540), the artist, employs a convex mirror that warps the background. His right hand, intricately depicted yet distorted, grips a ring, while his left is engaged in painting. This portrait was probably given to Pope Clement VII in 1524. A prominent figure in Mannerism, Parmigianino had a fascination with alchemy, which Giorgio Vasari deemed excessive. After the Sack of Rome in 1527, he escaped to Bologna, later returning to Parma, where he signed a contract for frescoes in 1531 that remained unfinished. He passed away on 24 August 1540, likely due to mercury poisoning.
Fatti principali
- Parmigianino's real name was Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (1503–1540).
- His "Autoritratto allo specchio" (Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror) dates to around 1524 and is held at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
- The painting was likely created to introduce himself to Pope Clement VII upon his move to Rome in 1524.
- The convex mirror used was a barber's mirror, which distorts the background and makes his right hand appear large and deformed.
- Giorgio Vasari documented Parmigianino's alchemical pursuits in "Le vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori e architettori."
- After the Sack of Rome in 1527, Parmigianino fled to Bologna, then returned to Parma, where in 1531 he contracted to paint frescoes in Santa Maria della Steccata but never finished and was imprisoned.
- He died on 24 August 1540 in Casalmaggiore (Cremona), possibly from mercury poisoning.
- Art historian Maurizio Fagiolo dell'Arco examined alchemical interpretations in his writings on Parmigianino.
Entità
Artisti
- Parmigianino
- Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola
- Giorgio Vasari
- Maurizio Fagiolo dell'Arco
- Dosso Dossi
Istituzioni
- Kunsthistorisches Museum
- Santa Maria della Steccata
Luoghi
- Vienna
- Austria
- Rome
- Italy
- Bologna
- Parma
- Casalmaggiore
- Cremona
Fonti
- Artslife —