Answer the following question in 3-4 complete sentences. 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:

Overlapping occurs when one form partially covers another, helping show which objects are in front and creating depth. Foreshortening makes a form appear compressed when it extends toward or away from the viewer. Mantegna overlaps the mourners and draped fabric around Christ’s body to create a sense of space. He uses dramatic foreshortening to show Christ’s body receding from his feet in the foreground toward his head in the background.