Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola – A Life Shaped by Art and Intrigue Born in Parma in 1503, Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola, known to the world as Parmigianino (the “Little Parmesan”), was a figure of extraordinary talent and turbulent fortune. His early life, steeped in artistic influence, laid the foundation for a career that would revolutionize Italian painting – though not without significant personal hardship. His father, Filippo Mazzola, a modest artist himself, instilled in his son a love for art, while his uncles, Michele and Pier Ilario, further nurtured his abilities through comm…