Question

Define the terms overlapping and foreshortening. how has andrea mantegna used these two concepts to create the painting above entitled, the lamentation over the dead christ?

Answer 1

Overlapping is when one part of a shape or form is placed in front of another, Foreshortening is a technique that make a form appear to move back in space. In Mantegna’s piece, The Lamentation over the Dead Christ, he used overlapping to provide the depth to the room, and to show the image of Christ on top of the bed. By using foreshortening, the artist was able to make the body of Christ lay horizontal, and therefore receding into the background. This technique also allowed the other figures on the left to be positioned specifically by his waist, while his chest and head appear behind the figures. Mantegna created great depth using these techniques.