Why Parmigianino painted her neck like a swan's,
oil upon wood, right foot thrust at the viewer
was to innovate, keep ahead of his time.
It was necessary to paint the Madonna
with Jesus a toddler, angels quite bright
and St Jerome, shrunken, head turned away,
reading from some ancient scroll because
it was the expected thing.
.
For, who would look at any young Miriam or Mary
with child upon lap and cherubic children adoring?
Who would stretch the Madonna on a rack, for beauty?
Who would seat her and unseat her in the one setting
and shave the young Messiah's head? Well, a mannerist.
True, the Virgin is swathed in luxurious robes in blue,
precious blue, off-the-shoulder shawl, with four angels,
dwarfed in their cheery little Heaven.
.
And what did God think of the creation when his artist,
no doubt pleased, had finished and washed his hands?
As with the eternal in all things, we have not a clue.
Perhaps Christ said to St Jerome: Methinks Parmagianino
placed you in perspective but look where he placed me,
an elongated babe slipping from a mother's knee! Yet,
those tall Attic pillars of marble do reach towards glory.
And what is Mary thinking? A choice question.
.
Stealing a thought from Polonius: If this be madness,
there is method in it. Reaching for grace, the artist finds
elegance in gracefulness and runs with it for dear life
across his wooden block. Not really. He knew the road
he was taking, the one less travelled by
and that unorthodoxy has made a world of difference;
non-classical naturalness, with head, neck and breasts
to swoon for.
.
When I squint at Modern Art in galleries today
I know Parmigianino was not so very far away.
Gold trophy winner
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