ARCIMBOLDO, Giuseppe

In the upper part of the page there is a remark: “Arithmetic, led by the Italian Pythagoras and the Greek Euclid. Green garment”

In the upper part of the page there is a remark: “Astrology, led by the Alexandrian Ptolemy and the Roman Julius Hyginus. White garment, bordered in red with golden stars”

In the upper part of the page there is a remark: “Dialectic, led by Leon and Chrysippus or Aristotle. White, gold striped garment”

In the upper part of the page there is a remark: “Geometry, led by the Sicilian Archimedes and the Calabrian Archita. Black garment”

In the upper part of the page there is a remark: “Grammar, led by the Roman Priscianus and the Greek Aristarchos. Blue garment.”

In the upper part of the page there is a remark: “Music, led by the Roman Boethius and the Greek Arion. Yellow garment”

In the upper part of the page there is a remark: “Rhetoric, led by the Roman Cicero and the Athenian Demosthenes. Red garment”

This painting is identifiable with a picture of Air by Arcimboldo. It is a copy after Arcimboldo’s painting, or perhaps a workshop version from a later series of elements, or perhaps a repetition made for the emperor.

Like Earth and probably Water in the series, Air is also based on studies from nature. Many of the birds whose heads are seen in this composite were drawn by Arcimboldo, along with many other avian species. However, because they are crowded together, the individual species represented here are harder to identify.

This painting belongs to a series of busts of Ferdinand I’s daughters (and of Anna, the daughter of Maximilian II) which includes a total of seven paintings of varying formats and styles. All seven paintings are attributed to Arcimboldo.

The concordance of the individually represented archduchesses is only given tentatively. It seems that the painter may have worked from drawings, possibly from a different hand.

This painting belongs to a series of busts of Ferdinand I’s daughters (and of Anna, the daughter of Maximilian II) which includes a total of seven paintings of varying formats and styles. All seven paintings are attributed to Arcimboldo.

The concordance of the individually represented archduchesses is only given tentatively. It seems that the painter may have worked from drawings, possibly from a different hand.

Through a comparison to other portraits, this painting can be safely identified as depicting Archduchess Johanna, the youngest and last daughter of Ferdinand I and Anna of Hungary. In 1565 Johanna was wed to Francesco de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, bearing him many daughters, among them Maria, who would later marry King Henry IV of France.

The painting is one of the series representing the four seasons, all in the Louvre. There exists several other versions of the series in other museums (e.g. in Vienna).

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 25 minutes):

Joseph Haydn: The Seasons, Part 3 Autumn, excerpts

Because of the similar dimensions and support (canvas), the Summer and the Autumn in Denver, and the Winter in Houston are considered to belong to the same series of Four Seasons.

Since the version of Autumn from Arcimboldo’s initial series of Seasons, dated 1563, is lost, this version of Autumn is important as representing the earliest surviving depiction of that season by Arcimboldo. Comparison of this painting of Autumn with an authentic version dated 1573 (in the Louvre, Paris) indicates a similar manner of construction, same materials, and similar touch. On the other hand, notable discrepancies do exist between significant details in the two paintings: they have different tonalities and even hues, as well as treating the individual forms differently.

The two codices in the �sterreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna, denoted as cod. min. 129 and 130 belonged to an ambitious undertaking which was later known as the “Museum of Emperor Rudolf II.” They contain gouache paintings on parchment depicting mammals and birds. Most of the folios were created in the period between 1575 and 1611 with cooperation by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Hans Hoffmann, Dirck de Quade van Ravesteyn and Daniel Fr�schel. None of the folios are signed and only one is dated.

The acquisition of exotic animals formed the foundation for the zoological garden, first established in Ebersdorf near Vienna and later in Prague, and was a significant prerequisite for the overwhelming quality of the representations.

Cod. min. 130 fol. 8r depicts a gyrfalcon. This high-quality picture was certainly painted from a live bird as model. The gyrfalcon or hunting falcon was one of the most coveted falcons and in Emperor Maximilian II and Rudolf II’s time it was also used in falconry on various birds.

The two codices in the �sterreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna, denoted as cod. min. 129 and 130 belonged to an ambitious undertaking which was later known as the “Museum of Emperor Rudolf II.” They contain gouache paintings on parchment depicting mammals and birds. Most of the folios were created in the period between 1575 and 1611 with cooperation by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Hans Hoffmann, Dirck de Quade van Ravesteyn and Daniel Fr�schel. None of the folios are signed and only one is dated.

The acquisition of exotic animals formed the foundation for the zoological garden, first established in Ebersdorf near Vienna and later in Prague, and was a significant prerequisite for the overwhelming quality of the representations.

Cod. min. 130 fol. 34r depicts a black crowned crane. The study was probably painted from a dead bird.

The two codices in the �sterreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna, denoted as cod. min. 129 and 130 belonged to an ambitious undertaking which was later known as the “Museum of Emperor Rudolf II.” They contain gouache paintings on parchment depicting mammals and birds. Most of the folios were created in the period between 1575 and 1611 with cooperation by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Hans Hoffmann, Dirck de Quade van Ravesteyn and Daniel Fr�schel. None of the folios are signed and only one is dated.

The acquisition of exotic animals formed the foundation for the zoological garden, first established in Ebersdorf near Vienna and later in Prague, and was a significant prerequisite for the overwhelming quality of the representations.

Cod. min. 130 fol. 41r depicts a night heron.

The two codices in the �sterreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna, denoted as cod. min. 129 and 130 belonged to an ambitious undertaking which was later known as the “Museum of Emperor Rudolf II.” They contain gouache paintings on parchment depicting mammals and birds. Most of the folios were created in the period between 1575 and 1611 with cooperation by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Hans Hoffmann, Dirck de Quade van Ravesteyn and Daniel Fr�schel. None of the folios are signed and only one is dated.

The acquisition of exotic animals formed the foundation for the zoological garden, first established in Ebersdorf near Vienna and later in Prague, and was a significant prerequisite for the overwhelming quality of the representations.

Cod. min. 130 fol. 76r depicts a quail.

This drawing is on folio 21r (above right) of Codex min. 42.

This drawing is on folio 41 (bottom) of Codex min. 42.

This painting belongs to a series of busts of Ferdinand I’s daughters (and of Anna, the daughter of Maximilian II) which includes a total of seven paintings of varying formats and styles. All seven paintings are attributed to Arcimboldo.

The concordance of the individually represented archduchesses is only given tentatively. It seems that the painter may have worked from drawings, possibly from a different hand.

The present portrait probably represents Archduchess Magdalena, the unwed archduchess vowed to live her life under the spiritual guidance of the Jesuits.

This painting belongs to a series of busts of Ferdinand I’s daughters (and of Anna, the daughter of Maximilian II) which includes a total of seven paintings of varying formats and styles. All seven paintings are attributed to Arcimboldo.

The concordance of the individually represented archduchesses is only given tentatively. It seems that the painter may have worked from drawings, possibly from a different hand.

The present portrait probably represents Archduchess Margarete, who remained unwed and followed her older sister Magdalena to the women’s monastery in Hall in 1563.

This painting belongs to a series of busts of Ferdinand I’s daughters (and of Anna, the daughter of Maximilian II) which includes a total of seven paintings of varying formats and styles. All seven paintings are attributed to Arcimboldo.

The concordance of the individually represented archduchesses is only given tentatively. It seems that the painter may have worked from drawings, possibly from a different hand.

The determination of the subject of this painting can only be postulated. The names of Archduchess Helena or Archduchess Barbara were proposed for the identification of the sitter.

This painting belongs to a series of busts of Ferdinand I’s daughters (and of Anna, the daughter of Maximilian II) which includes a total of seven paintings of varying formats and styles. All seven paintings are attributed to Arcimboldo.

The concordance of the individually represented archduchesses is only given tentatively. It seems that the painter may have worked from drawings, possibly from a different hand.

The present painting is most likely a portrait of Archduchess Barbara.

There is a codex in the manuscript collection of the �sterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna, which contains original studies of animals drawn from nature. Some of these drawings can be related to Arcimboldo’s painting Earth, and it was suggested that Arcimboldo was the author of a group of drawings to be found in this codex (Codex min. 42).

This unusual scene with agitated dogs, horses and deer is folio 115r in the codex.

The drawing for the present tapestry was done by Giuseppe Arcimboldo in 1558. Although the scene, represented in the tapestry in a conventional way, contrasts with Arcimboldo’s fantastic heads and half-figures, the bordure is quite remarkable.

The tapestry representing the death of the Virgin was woven by Giovanni Karcher, a Flemish tapestry weaver active in Italy. He organized with his brother Nicolas Karcher a large workshop for Ercole d’Este II, Duke of Ferrara and Modena. This workshop produced important series of tapestries.

Together with seven other wall hangings this tapestry belongs to a series in the Como Cathedral showing scenes from the life of the Virgin and scenes from the Old Testament.

The composition of the head out of various creatures, its profile view, approximate dimensions, and support all correspond to the series of Seasons and Elements. Earth is the most complex of either series. Like the other paintings in both series, it can be identified as an imperial allegory: this suggests that the emperor rules over the elements and the seasons.

Many studies of animals by Arcimboldo exist, and many of these studies were used as sources for the creatures seen in Earth. All the animals in the head were taken from life, because the emperor gave Arcimboldo permission to draw creatures in his menageries.

This version of the Earth was made for Maximilian II, or possibly Rudolf II. However, while there is no doubt about its authenticity, discrepancies with Water and Fire of 1566 do exist as far its dimensions, and more fluid handling are concerned, so it is possible that it might not have belonged to the original series of Elements.

This early drawing by Arcimboldo is either a preparatory drawing for a genre scene, popular in Lombardy at that time, or a mask for a festive occasion.

The painting is one of the series representing the Four Elements. From the series, Fire and Water are in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Earth is now in a Viennese private collection. Air has been lost and only exists in copies.

The allegory of Fire combines objects that are more or less directly related to fire in a bizarre profile head. The cheek is formed by a large firestone, the neck and chin are formed by a burning candle and an oil lamp, the nose and ear are contoured by firesteels; a blond moustache is formed by a crossed bundle of wood shavings for kindling, the eye is an extinguished candle stub, the forehead area is a wound-up fuse, the hair of the head forms a crown of blazing logs. The breast is composed of fire weapons: mortar and canon barrels together with the respective gunpowder shovel and a pistol barrel.

Prominently positioned in the picture is the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, beneath which the imperial double-eagle can be seen: a clear reference to the Habsburg House and the beneficiary of the series, Emperor Maximilian II.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 18 minutes):

Handel: Fireworks Music

This painting is a copy after the original by Arcimboldo. Compared to the original in Vienna, the format is somewhat larger. The picture is darker and the execution is simplified.

This painting of the Flower Goddess seems to be the painter’s own replica of the original signed painting (also in a private collection).

The two codices in the �sterreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna, denoted as cod. min. 129 and 130 belonged to an ambitious undertaking which was later known as the “Museum of Emperor Rudolf II.” They contain gouache paintings on parchment depicting mammals and birds. Most of the folios were created in the period between 1575 and 1611 with cooperation by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Hans Hoffmann, Dirck de Quade van Ravesteyn and Daniel Fr�schel. None of the folios are signed and only one is dated.

The acquisition of exotic animals formed the foundation for the zoological garden, first established in Ebersdorf near Vienna and later in Prague, and was a significant prerequisite for the overwhelming quality of the representations.

Cod. min. 129 fol. 21r depicts a blackbuck, which is native to the Indian subcontinent, where it once flourished in herds of thousands.

The two codices in the �sterreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna, denoted as cod. min. 129 and 130 belonged to an ambitious undertaking which was later known as the “Museum of Emperor Rudolf II.” They contain gouache paintings on parchment depicting mammals and birds. Most of the folios were created in the period between 1575 and 1611 with cooperation by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Hans Hoffmann, Dirck de Quade van Ravesteyn and Daniel Fr�schel. None of the folios are signed and only one is dated.

The acquisition of exotic animals formed the foundation for the zoological garden, first established in Ebersdorf near Vienna and later in Prague, and was a significant prerequisite for the overwhelming quality of the representations.

Cod. min. 129 fol. 25r depicts three red-flanked duikers, a male, a female and a baby facing left upon a large sod.

Portrayed next to Archduke Maximilian II is his wife Maria of Spain and three of their children. In front is the oldest daughter, Anna, the later wife of Philip II of Spain, behind are the sons Rudolf, later Emperor Rudolf II and in the cradle Archduke Ernst.

This painting is a copy by Arcimboldo after an original executed in 1553-54 by an unknown artist who based his work on full-figure portraits by Jacob Seisenegger and Anthonis Mor.

There is a codex in the manuscript collection of the �sterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna, which contains original studies of animals drawn from nature. Some of these drawings can be related to Arcimboldo’s painting Earth, and it was suggested that Arcimboldo was the author of a group of drawings to be found in this codex (Codex min. 42).

The contents of the codex are representations of animals and plants. The glued-on studies originated from between 1550 and 1612. The pictures from fol. 115 onwards are glued-in landscape format and are mainly painted with watercolours or opaque colours on paper or on parchment (36 studies). In some cases the backing paper has been cut away, partially to make the rear side of the of the glued-in study visible, partially to reduce the thickness of the volume. Only a few pictures are signed; however, many are dated.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 6r depicts a boar and a head study of a boar. This head was stored in the Kunstkammer of Emperor Rudolf I.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 8r depicts a young elk without antlers, above a head of an elk with antlers.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 9r represents a red deer turned to the right, its head slightly off to the right. It is probably from an imperial zoo, Ebersdorf close to Vienna, or Stern close to Prague.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 11r (left) represents an enormous set of antlers probably of a red deer. This could be the result of a damaged growth mechanism.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 19r (above) represents a reindeer turning to the left and showing the bottom of the hoof of the right foreleg. The picture shows what was probably a domesticated reindeer, with antler branches that are just growing again after the shedding.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 20r (above) represents a study of the antlers of a red deer. The entire animal is to be found in fol. 9r. Fol. 20r (below) shows a head study of a chamois.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 22r shows a study of a head of a chamois (above) and a study of a head of an ibex (below).

Cod. min. 42 fol. 24r shows the lower leg with the abnormally-grown hoof of the right hind leg of a cloven hoofed ungulate (left) and the lower leg with the abnormally-grown hoof of the left hind leg of a cloven hoofed ungulate (right).

Cod. min. 42 fol. 28r shows an aplomado falcon sitting on a gloved hand.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 36r shows a black crowned crane (above left), a night heron (above right) and a partridge (below). The partridge is apparently not subject to a total loss of pigment, it is albino.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 39r (above) depicts a young little bittern standing, turned left and with a small fish in its beak.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 39r (bottom left) depicts an adult Blue Tit.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 41r (above) depicts a living male pheasant.

Cod. min. 42 fol. 46r (middle left) depicts a quail with three feet, in the first picture still alive, with its plumage. In the second it is dead and with its feathers plucked, to better show the anomalies and to be able to judge them.

In correspondence to the Four Seasons was the series created three years later in 1566, the Four Elements. Through a paired arrangement of the qualities in the objects, warm-cold and damp-dry, the elements correspond to the seasons. Thus, the warm-dry summer corresponds to fire, the cold-damp winter to water, the warm-moist spring to air and the cold-dry autumn to earth. Thereby, through the arrangement of the heads, turned to the left or to the right, corresponding pairs face each other and form a unit. So, if desired, they could be arranged into a pair-grouping in which each head in one series would face its corresponding head in the other, as follows: Spring - Air, Summer - Fire, Autumn - Earth, Winter - Water.

This picture shows the pairs Air (Private collection)- Spring (Madrid) as well as Summer (Vienna) - Fire (Vienna).

In correspondence to the Four Seasons was the series created three years later in 1566, the Four Elements. Through a paired arrangement of the qualities in the objects, warm-cold and damp-dry, the elements correspond to the seasons. Thus, the warm-dry summer corresponds to fire, the cold-damp winter to water, the warm-moist spring to air and the cold-dry autumn to earth. Thereby, through the arrangement of the heads, turned to the left or to the right, corresponding pairs face each other and form a unit. So, if desired, they could be arranged into a pair-grouping in which each head in one series would face its corresponding head in the other, as follows: Spring - Air, Summer - Fire, Autumn - Earth, Winter - Water.

This picture shows the pairs Earth (Private collection)- Autumn (Denver) as well as Winter (Vienna)- Water (Vienna).

This drawing is on folio 19 of Codex min. 42.

This watercolour study showing the male red-flanked duiker served as model for the animal decorations of a some oil paintings from around 1560.

This composite head, turned upside down, becomes a basket of fruit. When seen as a still-life this depiction of a fruit basket is an important early representative of this genre. It antedates the famous Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio, who might very well have known it. It also anticipates paintings of fruit still-life by Fede Galizia and Ambrogio Figino.

The painting emerged on the market at an auction in Sweden in 1999. It comes probably from the collections of Rudolf II in Prague, because many works of art were stolen thence by Swedish troops during the sack of the Hrad�any in 1648.

This composite head, turned upside down, becomes a basket of fruit.

The painting emerged on the market at an auction in Sweden in 1999. It comes probably from the collections of Rudolf II in Prague, because many works of art were stolen thence by Swedish troops during the sack of the Hrad�any in 1648.

The stained glass windows in the Cathedral of Milan were executed after the cartoons by Giuseppe Arcimboldo and his father, Biagio Arcimboldo. The payment by the Cathedral for his designs is the first known record of Giuseppe’s activity as an artist, and it demonstrates that he was already legally adult in that year, and therefore over twenty.

Two of the frescoes, (The Naming of the Baptist and Salome Receiving the Baptist’s Head) that adorn the side walls of the chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist in the public church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore are attributed to Giuseppe Arcimboldo and his father Biagio. The chapel, commissioned by Alfonso del Carretto and his brothers as a burial place of their mother Ginevra Bentovoglio, , wife of Giovanni II del Carretto. The chapel has an inscription on the walls with the date 1545.

The picture shows the scene Naming of the Baptist.

Two of the frescoes, (The Naming of the Baptist and Salome Receiving the Baptist’s Head) that adorn the side walls of the chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist in the public church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore are attributed to Giuseppe Arcimboldo and his father Biagio. The chapel, commissioned by Alfonso del Carretto and his brothers as a burial place of their mother Ginevra Bentovoglio, , wife of Giovanni II del Carretto. The chapel has an inscription on the walls with the date 1545.

The picture shows the scene Salome Receiving the Baptist’s Head.

The stained glass windows in the Cathedral of Milan were executed after the cartoons by Giuseppe Arcimboldo and his father, Biagio Arcimboldo. The payment by the Cathedral for his designs is the first known record of Giuseppe’s activity as an artist, and it demonstrates that he was already legally adult in that year, and therefore over twenty.

The detail represents the Daughters of Lot.

In this drawing Arcimboldo portrays himself as a handsome man with even features, with a short, Spanish beard, a fine cap, elegant white lace collar and a patterned brocade shirt. It seems he has dedicated a lot of attention to his appearance, to underline his position as a noted court painter or even more to appear as an elegant member of the court of Emperor Rudolf II.

In this drawing the artist has deployed his skill in rendering forms in a metamorphic way. In fact, even though fairly well disguised by an expert draughtsmanship, the true and unusual characteristics of this extraordinary portrait become fully apparent when it is examined from close-up: the features of the lips, the nose, the eyes and the single ear that is visible, as well as the hair, beard and wrinkles, are perfectly evoked by simulating a sort of mask of sheets of paper, carefully arranged in such a way as to flawlessly imitate a human face; other, longer strips reproduce the drapery of a robe or of the cloak, while the ones rolled up at the bottom of the face allude to the ruff.

This drawing (“The Man of Paper”) constitutes the best example of the peculiar and bizarre art of Arcimboldo in the graphic filed.

In this drawing the artist has deployed his skill in rendering forms in a metamorphic way. In fact, even though fairly well disguised by an expert draughtsmanship, the true and unusual characteristics of this extraordinary portrait become fully apparent when it is examined from close-up: the features of the lips, the nose, the eyes and the single ear that is visible, as well as the hair, beard and wrinkles, are perfectly evoked by simulating a sort of mask of sheets of paper, carefully arranged in such a way as to flawlessly imitate a human face; other, longer strips reproduce the drapery of a robe or of the cloak, while the ones rolled up at the bottom of the face allude to the ruff.

This drawing (“The Man of Paper”) constitutes the best example of the peculiar and bizarre art of Arcimboldo in the graphic filed.

This painting in Madrid could have been originally part of the Viennese series of Four Seasons. Arcimboldo painted it in 1563 for Archduke Maximilian (later Emperor Maximilian II). The picture arrived in Spain possibly as a gift to King Philip II.

Of all the season-heads, Spring offers less surprises than the other three season allegories. The form of the head is simply filled out with flowers, the breast with leaves. At the same time, however, Spring surpasses all of Arcimboldo’s composite heads in its richness of species. 80 different varieties of flowering plants can be counted. Only Water with 62 species comes close to Spring.

This painting belongs to a four-part cycle of the Seasons which was frequently repeated by the Milan artist for the Imperial court in Vienna and Prague. This particular series, which is now in Paris, had been commissioned by the Emperor Maximilian II for Augustus the Elector of Saxony.

The series of the Seasons in the Louvre differ from the original Viennese model in the nature of the support, with canvas taking place of wood. The majority of the known versions of the Seasons are painted on canvas. This support may have been chosen for the convenience of the transport for which these works were intended by the man who commissioned them.

The series in the Louvre is the only one to have a border formed of garlands of leaves and flowers around the heads. This feature is clearly a later addition as the greenery is depicted in a perfunctory fashion with a broader brush and in places clumsily superimposed on Arcimboldo’s painting. It is assumed that it was added in the 17th century at the time of the restoration and enlargement of the original canvas.

The Italian art historian Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo (L’Idea del Tempio della pittura, Milan, 1590) described Arcimboldo’s allegories as “teste composte” (composed heads). The underlying principle of these compositions is the use of elements from an object area which is clearly distinct from others and in such a way that they add up to a personified figure. The individual elements as such do not have any mimetic properties; they only receive them when they co-occur with others.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 9 minutes):

Joseph Haydn: The Seasons, Part 1 Spring, Introduction, aria and chorus

The series of the Four Seasons, which belongs to the collection of the Bayerischen Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich, is completely anomalous both in its many details and its format, and it is distinct from the autograph versions in Vienna and Paris. The series is a workshop version of Arcimboldo’s original allegories. Three of them can currently be seen at the Kunstkammer in the Trausnitz Castle, Landshut, the fourth, the Autumn, because of its poor condition, is deposited at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.

This drawing is on folio 46r (below) of Codex min. 42.

This drawing relates to the design of a prestigious commission by the Town Hall of Milan for a banner representing St Ambrose, the heroic patron of the city who is also one of the canonical Doctors of the Church. Arcimboldo ceded this project at the time of his departure from Milan in 1562 for the court of Prague.

This drawing is on folio 23r of Codex min. 42.

Studies of the monstrously grown hooves of a goat, with a comment in Italian,, surely written in Arcimboldo’s hand - one is dated as early as 1563 - are stylistically close to the studies of animals that can be seen in almost identical positions and stances in the composite head of Earth.

This drawing is on folio 46r of Codex min. 42.

This drawing is on folio 29r of Codex min. 42.