Guiseppe Arcimboldo was a 16th-century Italian artist known for his unique composite portraits created from natural elements like fruits, vegetables, and flowers. He worked as a court painter under Habsburg rulers and blended artistic expression with scientific exploration of nature, significantly influencing surrealism and modern culture. His notable works include the allegorical series 'The Four Seasons' and 'The Four Elements', which creatively represented seasonal and elemental themes using botanical and zoological inspirations.

1. Guiseppe
Arcimboldo:
Artist/Illusionist

2. Background on the artist
● born in 1526, at the end of the Renaissance
○ to family of painters, in Northern Italy (Milan)
■ Milan was considered cradle of naturalism = artistic
expression based on direct observation of nature
● in 1563, at age 53, he left Italy to work in imperial courts
○ worked for 25 years in courts of the Habsburg rulers as
court painter
■ Emperor Ferdinand I
■ Emperor Maximilian II in Vienna
■ Emperor Rudolf II in Prague

3. Background on the artist
● most known for original “portraits”
○ also designed tapestries, stained glass,
costumes
● To celebrate Emperor Maximilian II’s reign, he
presented two series of allegorical paintings of
composite heads
○ The Four Seasons
○ The Elements
○ also created itty composite portraits of
different professions

4. Why Nature?
○ Renaissance
■ art considered a means of exploring nature, a record of
discoveries
■ time of exploration of new continents
● study of flora and fauna flourished
● explorers returned with exotic plants & animals
○ Maximilian II was passionate about biological sciences
(botany and zoology)
■ his court became center for scientific study
■ had botanical gardens and zoological parks

5. Why Nature con’t
● Arcimboldo has access to the vast collections of rare
plants and animals
○ He studied nature & was a knowledgeable
naturalist
○ His paintings are a fusion of science and art

6. Arcimboldo’s paintings

7. His Technique
● What do his paintings look like at a distance?
● What do they look like up close?
● What do you notice about the materials
Arcimboldo uses in his portraits?

8. Four Seasons, 1572-1573
● Arcimboldo
combined plants
associated with a
particular season
to form a portrait
● Winter wears a
cloak
monogrammed
with an M -
presumable for
Maximilian
SPRING
SUMMER
WINTER
AUTUMN

9. Four Seasons in One Head, 1590
● Winter - gnarled and knotty tree trunk create head
and chest, two holes in the trunk form the eyes, a
broken branch makes nose, and moss/twigs are the
beard
● Spring - Spring flowers decorate the figure’s chest
● Summer- cherries form the ear, plums at the back of
the head, cloak of straw draped around the
shoulders
● Autumn - Apples, grapes, ivy, the fruit and plants of
autumn, top the head.

10. The Four Elements, 1566

11. Four Elements, 1566
● Earth features a lion skin (reference to the mythological
character Hercules-to whom Hapsburg’s supposedly traced their
lineage)
● The nose and ear of Fire are made of fire strikers - one of the
imperial family’s symbols; chest is made out of firearms: gun
barrels, cannons, and a gunpowder scoop
● Water contains more than sixty different fish and aquatic
animals
● Air made up entirely of birds
○ with special prominence given to imperial eagle & peacock,
both symbolize Maximilian & the House of Hapsburg

12. ● Leonardo Da Vinci, 1452-1519
○ his contemporary
○ also shaped by naturalism
Arcimbolo’s Influences

13. Who Arcimboldo Influenced
● Surrealists
○ Salvador Dali
○ Bernard Pras
○ many more
● Modern Day
○ Rock band Kansas - Masque album cover used
his painting, Water
○ Tales of Despereaux - movie

14. Materials
•Self portrait: Color or black and white
photo/print
• Glue Stick, Scissors, colored pencils
• 9 x 12 drawing paper, bristol weight
• magazine clippings of food, plants, flowers,
nature

15. Step By Step
● Step One: Cut portrait in half and glue to 9 x 12 white cardstock paper
● Step Two: Cut magazine clippings of nature, art, foods, etc.
● Step Three: Arrange collage materials to create shapes that can be
combined to create a human head
● Step Three
○ start with larger pieces to cover area of the head
○ then use smaller pieces to create details and facial features
○ experiment with overlapping pieces, turning them in various
directions
● Four: Glue down clippings
● Step Five: In pencil, draw in other side to create a mirror image of portrait
● Step Six: Using colored pencils, fill in with color

16. Student examples

17. Self - portraits!

18. Smithsonian presents...

19. (fun video, longer -- just for background)