Italian Renaissance Artist Andrea Mantegna

Running head: ART HISTORY
ART HISTORY
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ART HISTORY1
Dead Christ, a painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna during
1470s, portrays a cramped body of Christ supine, covered with draped cloth that resonates an
extraordinary intensity of the period. The livid body of Christ lies on red marble base that
represents a relic, the Unction Stone (Minguzzi). The wounds of Christ are clearly exposed.
The mourning figure in the background appears to be hardly visible and is thought to be Mary
Magdalene and the figure that is in the foreground is the Baptist, St. John. The painting with
dark background reveals a strong lightning from the right side (Eisler). The painting appears
to be predominantly dark through the images such as the small chamber that reveals an
aperture of the wall in the background and further it leads to even darker room. The darker
place possibly symbolizes the burial place of Christ (Minguzzi). The innovation in Mantegna
is exposed through the techniques used in the painting of the Dead Christ. The texture and
the innovative exposure of the elegant efforts are revealed through the work (Eisler). The
technique of painting on canvas was not usual in those times. He used a glue-based adhesive
for the oil-based paints instead of mixing it with egg (Minguzzi). The use of such technique,
created a texture of crispness and flatness that is similar to fresco (Eisler). The blend of
matted layer is the final addition that provides an invasive intimacy with much more clarity to
every details in his painting (Minguzzi). The innovative techniques made his work moving
and live, pouring out the emotions and expressions (Eisler). Following it, the art in drawing
out the sadly lined face of Mary is what makes his art looks impressive (Minguzzi).
Mantegna has deliberately chosen the unconventional ways in the making of art. He used
wan, gloomy colours instead of soft colours in order to establish the merciless and bitter
interpretation of the moment or scene revealed in his art (Minguzzi). The most remarkable
and striking aspect of the Dead Christ is the view of foreshortened of Christ’s figure.
Following, the painting is also known as ‘Christ Foreshortened’ (Eisler). Through the use of
foreshortened figure, Mantegna along with providing the realistic interpretation and

ART HISTORY2
importance of the Christ’ feet, he also shows the altered reality where the he facial
expressions of the figures are displayed (Minguzzi). The entire art work expresses a
naturalistic representation. The viewpoint angle of the faces of the sadly lined figures is
different from that of Christ’s body in order to reveal the full emotive force of St. John and
Mary’s who are in tears (Eisler). Mantegna broke the traditions and conventions of the period
in order to give the Dead Christ scene a justified texture along with the grief and despair
reverberated through the innovative and unique piece of work (Minguzzi). Moreover,
Mantegna even symbolizes the red marble unction stone providing an enduring appreciation
and celebration of the unction stone that was dear to the Christian pilgrims (Eisler). Mantegna
is the only Renaissance artist who treated the theme of Dead Christ, mourned by his dear
ones and followers providing an even sense of loss the moment when they confront the grief
stricken frightening silence and hollowness of death (Minguzzi). The theme majorly reveals
the lamentation over the dead Christ. In the medieval and Renaissance art, the theme of
lamentation is common but the artist’s treatment of individual identity through his unique art
is unusual (Eisler). The notion of Lamentation is incorporated in order to bring out more
contact between the body and the mourners (Eisler). The emotion of the spectators are clear
provided with shock and intimacy (Minguzzi). The painting also provide a playful contrast of
light and shadow around the figures revealing the profound sense of pathos. The intricate
detailing of the muscles, bones, the facial expressions of the figures provide a stigmatic
sensation and realism (Minguzzi). The drapery that covers the Christ’s body gives an overall
dramatic effect. Through these intricate details, Mantegna paints the scene representing
successfully the emotional and the physical trauma (Minguzzi). The paintings paint the
realism with the use of material and aesthetic aspects of Mantegna’s ideologies of art (Eisler).
It further points out the harmony and the right blend of aesthetic and idealized compositional