The name mannerism comes from the Italian maniera, which translates to 'style'. Mannerism is an artistic style that was born in the early 1500s. The style originated in Italy and later widened to all of Europe. Mannerists paintings are characterized by elongated limbs, thin aquiline noses, tapering fingers, undersized heads, garish colors and elaborately mannered and contorted postures. There is usually a theatrical air of restless action. The Mannerists in Italy worked on commission for a restricted audience of Vatican powerbrokers and royalty. The subjects they painted were generally religious themes, portraits and sometimes mythology.  El Greco spurned the lavish commissions in favor of artistic freedom and went off to Spain and to pursue his own extraordinary vision.