Giambologna’s Mercury, c. 1565, represented a diplomatic symbol of peace while used a Mannerist style and the artistic use of iconography, sleek elegance of Mercury’s body through contrapposto and heroic nudity. Giambologna’s formal name is Jean Boulogne and was hired by the Medici family to create this bronze casting of the God Mercury as a gift and symbol of peace between the two powerful families of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian and Medici’s negotiations of marriage. Giambologna’s used the statue of Mercury as a rival against the sculpture of Michelangelo and foreshadowed the exploration of space by artists in the succeeding century. Mercury statue had a smooth, flowing surfaces of the bronze, the clearly defined contours, seen to…show more content… Giambologna used many figures that has certain meanings and of the Mannerism style to this day trying to figure out what some of them truly mean. The bronze statue Mercury is an example of the Mannerist style of sculpture and how great and brilliant Giambologna was with bronze-casting. The original that Giambologna casted was made so many other times but smaller as for conversation pieces and great art enthusiasts. Giambologna used many figures to symbolize certain things as to the offer from the Medici family to the Holy Roman Emperor’s family. Giambologna positioned Mercury’s hand and arm up while pointing his index finger toward the sky to indicate that he is pointing towards the home of the ancient Roman Gods, Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus in ancient was a source of knowledge and truth, peace…show more content… This is where Giambologna brought the different aspect of contrapposto because Mercury isn’t standing on anything, but yet Giambologna is giving the illusion that Mercury is in fact flying. Giambologna portrays Mercury as defying the laws of gravity and as a weightless flying bronze. The upper section of the base is depicted as head that is breathing onto Mercury’s foot and the head symbolized one of the “winds”, while the lower section is decorated and detailed with images of cherubs playing flutes. One of the “winds” can also be identified as the god Mercury while soaring is supported by the other god Zephyrus. This effect has changed and evolved art in that century and helped influence Baroque art. The virtuosity and popularity of Giambologna’s designs have fostered that Giambologna didn’t care much for the subject matter of his artwork but yet rather the sculptural technique and composition. The composition of Mercury Giambologna positioned Mercury on the ball of his foot while the other leg was used as a supporting weight. Giambolonga used bronze so he could jet out Mercury’s limbs and not have to worry about them being broken off in any way, shape, or form. This Mercury statue brought great fame to Giambologna through the mass reproduction, but also through his creative and influential new techniques with bronze. He showed how smooth,