From the artist's life
His Lamentation shows the dead Christ in extreme foreshortening, feet-first toward the viewer — a stunning perspective experiment for its time.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaEarly Renaissance
Andrea Mantegna
Andrea Mantegna (c. 1431–1506) was a master of the early Italian Renaissance, famed for his archaeological precision and daring perspective. His radically foreshortened Lamentation of Christ still astonishes.
Mantegna's mastery of perspective and antiquity influenced generations of Renaissance painters.
- A master of the early Italian Renaissance.
- Famed for daring perspective and archaeological detail.
- His foreshortened dead Christ is a landmark of illusionism.
Key works
Where to start
Complete list of key works
Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.
- The Lamentation over the Dead ChristOn ArtAtlas
- Lamentation of ChristListed for reference
- Camera degli SposiListed for reference
- Death of the VirginListed for reference
- Triumphs of CaesarListed for reference
- ParnassusListed for reference
- Saint MarkListed for reference
- Saint Bernardino of Siena Between Two AngelsListed for reference
- DidoListed for reference
- Monogram of Christ between two saintsListed for reference
- Camera picta, East WallListed for reference
- Central panel of altarpiece of San ZenoListed for reference
The Lamentation over the Dead Christ
Christ's body is in sharp foreshortening — feet straight toward the viewer, which was extraordinarily bold.