Giuseppe Arcimboldo | Master of Composite Portraits

Giuseppe Arcimboldo built faces out of fruit, flowers, and books.

Who was Giuseppe Arcimboldo?

Arcimboldo was an Italian Mannerist painter born in Milan in 1526. He worked at the Habsburg courts in Vienna and Prague.

What is Arcimboldo best known for?

He is known for composite heads built from fruit, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books.

Where did Arcimboldo work?

He served Emperors Ferdinand I, Maximilian II, and Rudolf II as court painter.

When did Arcimboldo die?

He died in Milan in 1593.

Why are his paintings still popular?

Their playful illusion of faces made from objects still surprises viewers today.

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