Madonna and Child with St. Elizabeth and St. John

In this composition, Bacchiacca, a Florentine artist of the 16th century, is cleverly quoting from paintings by the most important artists of the time--the head of the Madonna is very similar to those of Leonardo da Vinci, and Saint Elizabeth is modeled after a figure by Andrea del Sarto. The vibrant colors clearly indicate that Bacchiacca was aware of the development of Mannerism, a late-Renaissance style characterized by a move away from realism towards stylish and artful exaggeration.