Description
Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s Vertumnus assembles a human likeness from the riches of the garden. Fruit, vegetables, flowers, and grain become cheeks, nose, hair, and clothing, each individual object retaining its own texture and color. Look closely and the face separates into a still life; step back and the portrait returns.
The image represents Emperor Rudolf II in the guise of Vertumnus, the classical god associated with seasons and change. Arcimboldo’s inventive arrangement makes nature and portraiture work together with wit and precision. The abundant details reward repeated looking, turning a formal likeness into an extraordinary visual puzzle.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Giuseppe Arcimboldo collection.
