Origins & Early Life

Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (11 January 1503 – 24 August 1540), also known as Francesco Mazzola or, more commonly, as Parmigianino (UK: , US: , Italian: [parmidʒaˈniːno]; "the little one from Parma"), was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, Bologna, and his native city of Parma. His work is characterized by a "refined sensuality" and often elongation of forms and includes Vision of Saint Jerome (1527) and the iconic if somewhat anomalous Madonna with the Long Neck (1534), and he remains the best-known artist of the first generation whose whole career falls into the Mannerist period. His prodigious and individual talent has always been recognised, but his career was disrupted by war, especially the Sack of Rome in 1527, three years after he moved there, and then ended by his death at 37. He produced outstanding drawings and was one of the first Italian painters to experiment with printmaking himself.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

While his portable works have always been keenly collected and are now in major museums in Italy and around the world, his two large projects in fresco are in a church in Parma and a palace in a small town nearby. This, in conjunction with their lack...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Bronzino — Contemporary (Born in 1503) (1503): Master of Florentine Mannerism, renowned for elegant Medici portraiture.
• Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor — Contemporary (Born in 1503) (1503): Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, and architect of Habsburg consolidation.
• Nostradamus — Contemporary (Born in 1503) (1503): French apothecary and astrologer, famed for his prophetic writings, Les Prophéties.
• Barbara Flaminia — Contemporary (Born in 1540) (1540): Pioneering Italian stage actress, famed for her rivalry and international tours.
• Edmund Campion — Contemporary (Born in 1540) (1540): English Jesuit priest, martyr, and saint of the 16th century.
• Francis Drake — Contemporary (Born in 1540) (1540): English explorer and privateer famed for the second circumnavigation of the world.
• Abraham Joshua Heschel — Shared historical date (01-11 · Born) (1907): Leading 20th-century American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.
• Alberto Giacometti — Shared historical date (01-11 · Died) (1966): Swiss master of existential sculpture, known for elongated, fragile human figures.
• Boyinaband — Shared historical date (08-24 · Born) (1987): English musician, rapper, and songwriter known for electronic and hip hop work.
• Cal Ripken Jr. — Shared historical date (08-24 · Born) (1960): MLB legend, 'the Iron Man', known for his unparalleled consistency and record-setting career.
• 1503 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1503
• January 11 (01-11) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 11
• 1540 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1540
• August 24 (08-24) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on August 24