Classicism in “The Lamentation over the Dead Christ”
The Renaissance Era was an epoch of artistic resurgence in the history of Europe. This period was marked by developments in Italian Renaissance paintings with the renewal of classical forms, motifs and subjects. In edict to discern the Classicism that prospered during this age, conceivably without need, from the Classical architecture of the ancient Romans. The exploration for cerebral legitimacy through art set apart the period. During this period, contemporary Classicism was described as the “proper technique”. Methodically, this set in motion a blitz against Baroque art, which, with its highlighting of embellishment and delusion, was considered to be distinctly fictitious. Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506), in particular, modeled his work entitled “The Lamentation over the Dead Christ” (c.1480) in rudiments of Classicism.

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Mantegna used mainly foreshortening, a perspective used for compressing objects from a definitive viewpoint and chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism. In this period, Classicism took on more visibly structural insinuations of the use of perspective, chiefly by the use of Foreshortening. Foreshortening occurs when an object appears compressed when seen from a particular viewpoint, and the effect of perspective causes distortion.
Foreshortening is a predominantly constructive creative mechanism, used to give the sense of three-dimensional capacity and generate emotion in a picture. To sensationalize the supine Christ in perception, Mantegna paints his light source higher up the horizon line, to create illusion that the viewer will appear to be looking at an angle. The more askew the vanishing point, the more slanted the icon will be, as seen in the painting. Because the body of Christ is supine and symmetrical, the vanishing point is diametrically in the core of the perspective line. Because the spectator’s plane is parallel to Christ’s head at this point, the base perspective line appears to be horizontal. This imaginary line gives the fundamental, “foreshortening” perspective. The farther away the image is from the viewer, the nearer the illusion is to being perpendicular to the portrait plane, as seen in the Dead Christ. The position of the mourners (The Virgin Mary and St. John) are on the horizon line, to the left the desertion point (Christ’s Head), as another foremost model to carry this position of foreshortening. The expanse from this point to the center of the perspective line denotes the distance within the painting for the viewer. If the point is isolated from the vanishing point, the mourners will appear condensed, and distant. If it is too close, they will emerge lengthened, as if it is too close to the observer. Essentially distorting the ray of light traveling from it’s origin to the onlooker’s judgment and ruining the illusion within the painting. This element is key to understanding Mantegna’s brilliance of perspective in this fresco. In the case of the holes in Christ’s hands and feet; the perspective of the light source that illuminates (at an angle) the area of the holes also represents the use of foreshortening on the picture plane. When the light source hits the area of the holes, it hits at the appropriate angle on the picture plane. In order for the resulting image to appear identical to the intended scene, the eyewitness of the perspective must scrutinize the image from the exact vantage point used in the geometric calculations comparative to Christ. This proper use of foreshortening abandons visual imperfections that what would appear to be alterations in the painting when analyzed from a discrete point. These conspicuous distortions in foreshortening are more evident when viewing Christ’s thorax; as the perspective estimated from the surroundings, to the spectator becomes more finely tuned and comparative to the portrait base.
In application, unless the viewer desires a radical perspective, like viewing the body of Christ from the base, the perspective on the whole, is in all probability accurate. It has been recommended that a painting in standpoint still seems to be in perspective at other spots because the individual still distinguishes it as a painting, because of the quality in its profundity of field indications due to the use of foreshortening. For a emblematic perspective, conversely, the field of view in the Dead Christ is tapered to the point, that the distortions are negligible and the fresco can be viewed from a site other than the tangible designed vantage point without seeming distorted, which in turn, buttress’ Mantegna’s conclusion to paint the feet of Christ less significant than the customary individuals. While speaking at a summit on Greek mathematics and philosophy, Plato (429-347 B.C.E.) was quoted in repute to artwork, as stating,
Thus (through perspective) every sort of confusion is revealed within us; and this is that weakness of the human mind on which the art of conjuring and of deceiving by light and shadow and other ingenious devices imposes, having an effect upon us like magic… And the arts of measuring and numbering and weighing come to the rescue of the human understanding… (Plato qtd. in Kahn)
The applied use of the expression “chiaroscuro”, is the outcome of light representation in painting, in which three- dimensional capacity is advocated by the measure of color and the systematic partition of light and shadow contours on a two dimensional plane in a model of artwork. The creation of these belongings in the West, Skiagraphia or “shadow-painting” to the primeval Greeks, was attributed to the celebrated Athenian painter of the 5th century BC, Apollodoros. In the print of the Dead Christ, the light is approaching in from one encoded course exceeding Christ’s body, then light and silhouette will match to a set of natural conventions. An underscore of luminosity on Christ’s shroud symbolizes the summit where the brilliance is being revealed most unswervingly. This is most often attributed as a lightened white area, as seen in the shroud in Figure 1. As the viewer’s eye moves away from this emphasis, radiance strikes the article less candidly and consequently broadcasts a darker assessment of hues on the shroud. This changeover continues until the onlooker reaches the point where the darkness of the piercingly drawn material meets the lighted portion of the shroud. Here, there is a more abrupt conversion to darker values since no light is salient between Christ’s feet. Some oblique light is offered on the underside of Christ’s feet as the muted side does not turn unyieldingly dark. This is the product of reflected and refracted daylight that logically become apparent within the painting. As the viewer looks at the intense frame of the body of Christ, it is noticeable that it is patently lighter than the shadowed area of the mourners. Light in the environment is illuminating the background. The throw shadows are at odds, with separate values as well. Then, as light becomes more available, the same cast shadow lightens in increments until it reaches the shadow’s circumference. Craigie Aitchison (1923-2009), a Scottish painter and one of the better known critically esteemed Royal Academians (Members Royal Academy of Arts have a exclusive position in being recognized as reputed artists and architects whose sole objective is to endorse the creation, pleasure and awarnessof the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate), recalls the Dead Christ as his favorite painting, stating, “I like it because it tells a Story… It’s a wonderful reddy colour and terrifically drawn… “If ever a painting was clear, it’s this one. It’s fantastically clear about the story it’s telling – there’s no muddling about. It couldn’t be any other way.”” (Aitchison). Mantegna dominates and operates this modus operandi to generate a inventive sense of pathos in the mourners and character in the Dead Christ. The Mantegna painting, with light entering from above, illustrates a faint modeling of chiaroscuro to give quantity to the body of Christ, which in turn, confirms the strong stimulus of Greek inspired Classicism in this fresco. The contrasts between light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism.
The Renaissance Era was an epoch of artistic resurgence in the history of Europe. This period was marked by developments in Italian Renaissance paintings with the renewal of classical forms, motifs and subjects. In edict to discern the Classicism that prospered during this age, conceivably without need, from the Classical architecture of the ancient Romans. The exploration for cerebral legitimacy through art set apart the period. During this period, contemporary Classicism was described as the “proper technique”. Methodically, this set in motion a blitz against Baroque art, which, with its highlighting of embellishment and delusion, was considered to be distinctly fictitious. Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506), in particular, modeled his work entitled “The Lamentation over the Dead Christ” (c.1480) in rudiments of Classicism.
Mantegna used mainly foreshortening, a perspective used for compressing objects from a definitive viewpoint and chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism. Mantegna’s version of the Dead Christ, is regarded as an indispensable art piece exemplifying the use of Classicism. Thus, he deserves the acclaim for the merit of these essentials in his work of art.