Waldemar Januszczak delves into the emergence of Mannerism as a distinctive art movement.

As the revolutionary impact of the Mannerism style spreads across the world, Giulio Romano paints extraordinary visions, while women artists emerge to bring a new voice to Western art.

The 'Sack of Rome' in 1527 had a devastating impact on the Italian High Renaissance, as it forced many artists to flee the country and take the revolutionary art movement with them.