Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Every post here is by Giuseppe Arcimboldo.

Erisava Staff 1d ago

Summer by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, 1573

Summer

Department of Paintings of the Louvre · wikidata.org

Public domain

This whole series was apparently made as a diplomatic gift for an emperor, with each season meant to stand for a stage of a life - summer being someone in their prime. Look closely at the woven collar and there's said to be a name stitched right into the wheat.

Erisava Staff Jul 6

The Librarian by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, 1556

The Librarian

Skokloster Castle · wikidata.org

Public domain

Apparently this is meant to be a specific historian from the period, though it's really more of an educated guess than a confirmed identity. The same painter did versions of people built entirely out of fruit, or fish, or gears - books just happen to be this one's material.