Throughout history, we have seen how art has changed in the world. From Paleolithic cave paintings, to the stained glass windows of some of the largest churches in Gothic Europe, to the Statue of Liberty in New York. In some ways the works of art and architecture are similar to works we saw a hundred years ago, and even pieces from thousands of years ago. As I searched for different works of art, I found many that interested me. However, I felt obliged to represent Giotto Di Bondone's Lamentation and Andrea Mantegna's Lamentation over the Dead Christ. At first glance I noticed that they were obviously different but still contained the same narrative: the crying over the death of Christ. How do facial expressions and body language differ? How do certain elements visually signal importance? What changes were made to make one painting more contemporary than the other? How do they manage to describe the same mood and message even though they are drastically different? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayGiotto Di Bondone is considered one of the most important Italian painters of the 14th century. His Renaissance-style work has been admired throughout the centuries although sometimes considered problematic. The Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy is internally designed with frescoes created by Giotto where one of his masterpieces is present; The Lamentation is a fresco from 1305 made with water-based pigments. The word “lament” is the passionate expression of pain. In the painting, Jesus Christ is mourned by his mother, Mary, and followers after being taken down from the crucifix. Biblical figures are marked by halos above their heads. The human characters in Giotto's work act with great passion. We see Mary holding her dead son in her arms while using her knee to support his body along with the other four figures who circle around him and prevent his body from touching the ground. His mother thrusts her face towards him as if painfully begging him to return. At Christ's feet we see a red-haired figure recognized as Mary Magdalene, known as one of the women who traveled with him. Magdalene witnessed his crucifixion, burial and resurrection. In addition to the two Marys, there are two other unrecognizable figures kneeling around Jesus. Giotto painted the two unidentifiable people with only their backs visible to the public. This gives the painting a sense of closeness and makes the audience wonder who they are and what their relationship with Christ is. In the sky Giotto paints ten mourning angels. The angels hover and look down in distress. At the far right of the landscape is a tree that appears to be leafless or dead. The tree contributes to the sad and lifeless tone of the masterpiece. All the figures and objects, including the mountain, are placed in specific places and directions which help to draw the viewer into the scene of Christ's lifeless body and inviting us to feel the desperation of the Lamentation. Andrea Mantegna enjoyed an impressive reputation and was admired by many people and artists. He grew up in a village near Padua where opportunities for artists were ample. Andrea eventually continued his work in several cities in Italy such as Verona, Mantua, and Rome, where he completed many frescoes. Inside the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan there is Mantegna's most famous painting: The Lamentation of the Dead Christ from 1480. The tempera painting on canvas is mainly composed of soft colors such as beige, brown, grey, etc. The painting shows the image of Jesus Christ's pale body lying on a stone bed after being laid to rest.