Giuseppe Arcimboldi
1527-1593
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Giuseppe Arcimboldi was an Italian painter, described by some as
Renaissance-painter (Mannerist), and by others as Baroque painter. It is,
however, a fact, that his witty allegorical compositions foreshadowed the 20th-century surrealist art. He began his artistic career as a designer of stained glass and tapestry in his native Milan; in 1562 he moved to Prague and then to Vienna, where he became painter to the Habsburg court.
There are several versions of his name, Josephus, Joseph or
Josepho Arcimboldi or Arcimboldus, but it is uncertain which version is the
correct one. The painter himself used all these forms to sign his works,
so art historians, particularly in the German-speaking countries, have
agreed to refer to him as Giuseppe Arcimboldo. In his native Italy he is always
referred to as Arcimboldi.
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He major artistic achievement that brought him international
fame in his time was a portrait type consisting of painted animals, flowers, fruit, and objects composed to form a human likeness.
For this reason Americans often refer to him jokingly as
"Mr. Fruit-Face". Some are allegorical personifications as shown on these stamps from
Italy and Guyana, others are satiric portraits of court personages, and
yet others are self-portraits.
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Italy 1977. Arcimboldi: "Winter" painted
1563. The original portrait belongs to Kunsthistorisches Museum,
Vienna (Austria).
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Guyana 1993. Arcimboldi: "Spring"
painted 1573. The original painting belongs to The Louvre Museum,
Paris.
Scans by courtesy of Hans-Martin Leth (Denmark). |
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Giuseppe Arcimboldi was born in Milan in 1527. The
Arcimboldi family belonged to the patrician class and one of its members
was archbishop of Milan.
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Giuseppe's name appears for the first time in the registers of the
"Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano" [a guild] in 1549 where he worked
along with his father on the creation of some stained-glass windows.His activity in the yard of the Duomo ends in 1558, the year he created
a cartoon for a tapestry destined for the Duomo in Como, finalized by the
Flemish artist Giovanni Karcher.
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Czech Republic 1997. Arcimboldi. Satirical
self-portrait on a sheet, commemorating Emperor Rudolph II. See the
full sheet below on this page.
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Arcimboldi: Self-portrait c. 1575. Blue
pen-and-wash drawing. Belongs to the National Galery in Prague.
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In 1562, Arcimboldi moved to Venice and was employed at the
Imperial Court as copyist and portati-painter, and replaced Jacob
Seisenegger, who was already in his declining years.
The following year, 1563, he painted the series "The Four
Seasons", and in 1565 "The Librarian. During that same
year his name appeared for the first time in the Court Registers.
In 1566, Arcimboldi returned to Italy and it is probable that at this
time he submitted various designs for illustrations to the Venetian
painter, Francesco Carnocio. Two years later he started a period of
collaboration with the writer Giovanni Battista Fonteneo.
- Arcimboldi. "The Librarian", c. 1565. Belongs
to Skokloster Castle,
Stockholm. In my view a wonderful satirical portrait of a
"nerded librarian". :-) Click on the image to see a
large version. The link will open in a new window.
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In 1569 he gave the two series of paintings "The Four
Seasons" and "The Four Elements" to the Emperor Maximilian,
together with an encomiastic poem written in collaboration with Fonteneo.
Two of the paintings from "The Four Seasons" ("Spring" and
"Winter") are shown above as
postage stamps from Guyana and Italy, respectively. The scans below are
from postcards produced by Benedikt Taschen Verlag, Germany.
In 1570, in Prague, Arcimboldi prepared the scenery for a
tournament organized for the wedding of Elizabeth, daughter of Maximilian II,
and Charles IX of France. The following year, in Vienna, he created the
decorations for the wedding of Charles, Archduke of Austria, and Maria of
Bavaria. In 1572, Arcimboldi created other copies of "The Four
Seasons", and in 1573 Maximilian II commissioned him for other versions,
one of which was probably destined for the Prince Elector of Saxony.
Benedetto, the artist's natural son, was born on July 14, 1575
in Prague, and five years later, on May 23red, 1580, the Emperor Rudolph II
confirmed the nobility of the Arcimboldi family. In 1582, Rudolph II
requested the artist search for antique and rare objects for his "Wunderkammer",
in which pursuit the artist travelled to Aquisgrana and Kempten.
In 1585, Arcimboldi gave a group of 148 designs of costumes,
hair-styles, armour, and triumphal sled and carts to Rudolph II, and in 1586 he
undertook the project of decorating the new residence of Baron Grünbuchel, the
director of the Inner Cabinet of Rudolph II.
In 1587, Arcimboldi returned permanently to Milan and up to his
departure Rudolph II presented him with 1500 gulden, for fortune for the
time. In 1589, he painted "The Flower" which he sent to Prague
together with a poem by him friend, the Rev. Gregorio Comanini. In 1591,
Arcimboldi painted and sent to Prague a portrait of Rudolph II (in fruit and
vegetables) called "Vertunno", and on May 1st Rudolph II named the
artist Count Palatine.
Giuseppe Arcimboldi died in Milan on July 11, 1593, and was
buried in the church of San Pietro della Vigna. Although the artist was
extremely famous during his lifetime, he was soon forgotten after his death.
However, his name has come to new life with the naming of the totally rebuilt and
refurbished Scala Opera in Milan, now called Teatro degli Arcimboldi.
Sources and links:
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