The Dead Christ (1480-1490), 68x81 cm, tempera on canvas, held in the Pinacoteca di Brera. Montana is one of the most representative painters of the Northern Italian Renaissance, a student of the archaeologist and painter Squarcione, and deeply influenced by Donatello. His painting characteristics are described by Vasari as "stone-like style" within a natural, stiff, and austere realism. From his works, we can see his interest in archaeology, especially his enthusiasm for ancient architecture and mastery of perspective. In 1460, he became the court painter for the Gonzaga Palace. In 1474, he painted a series of frescoes in the castle's "Wedding Chamber" to commemorate the Gonzaga family; the figures on the frescoes appear as an extension of the interior space. More remarkably, a balcony was painted on the ceiling, with figures looking down from the balcony into the room under the vast sky. This is the first illusionistic decorative painting in the Renaissance era using purely upward-angle perspective. His most famous masterpiece is The Dead Christ, featuring dramatic foreshortening. It is the most outstanding among all depictions of Jesus Christ's death. Within the natural, stiff, and austere realism, Jesus' heavy body lies on the bed, covered by a folded white cloth from the waist down, exposing his feet before us. His hands and feet clearly show nail wounds. The solid body perfectly presents the beauty of male anatomical musculature. His peaceful cheeks rest slightly tilted to the right on the pillow. The entire body forms a straight line in the most original foreshortened perspective, creating an extraordinary sense of depth that is unprecedented in Western painting, showcasing a novel depiction of grief—the Lamentation scene. However, it does not completely follow normal geometric perspective; the head is not reduced in size. He alters the proportions of this natural visual image to enhance its emotional and tragic impact. In the upper left corner, the Virgin Mary, pale and lonely, mourns with infinite compassion. The entire painting is filled with a desperate atmosphere of dim tones, forming an unprecedented imagery of sorrow.