When painting the ceiling of the ruler of Mantua’s bedchamber, the Italian renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna used a technique called di sotto in sù to make figures appear as if seen from below. In this video, learn about this visual effect and how it helps artists from the Renaissance onwards to make objects and figures appear to be suspended in space above viewers below.

Speaker: Dr. Heather Graham

Chapters

0:12 Andrea Mantegna’s oculus fresco

0:32 Mantegna’s reality effects

0:44 Foreshortening

0:56 What is di sotto in sù?

1:12 di sotto in sù and ceiling paintings

1:24 Figures can appear to share our space

Learn more

Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history