Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Giuseppe Arcimboldo (Milan 1527 – Milan 1593) follower
17th/18th-century
Anthropomorphic Allegory of Winter
Oil on canvas 96 x 75 cm. In an important antique frame (with flaws) 118 x 101 cm.
The intriguing painting we are pleased to present to you, depicting a personification of Winter, is derived from the famous surrealist iconographic prototypes conceived around 1560–70 by the eclectic Milanese painter Giuseppe Arcimboldi (Milan 1526–1593) and draws on a series of still lifes depicting the Seasons.
After leaving Milan for the court in Vienna, Giuseppe Arcimboldi became the official painter to Emperor Maximilian II of Habsburg, for whom he created a series of paintings that were nothing short of brilliant, executed using an innovative technique that would inspire imitation and reinterpretation for decades to come.
In particular, he created a distinct artistic genre that plays on optical illusions and anthropomorphic composition, crafting true portraits in which he skillfully combines plant elements, fruits, and vegetables typical of each season.
Upon closely observing these works, one cannot help but be captivated by Arcimboldo’s extraordinary inventiveness: in this case, the winter figure is recreated entirely by combining elements typical of the cold season, such as oranges, citrons, garlic, cardoons, cabbage, onions, endive, leeks, and turnips.
According to iconological interpretation, these works were to be understood as celebratory “imperial allegories,” whose symbolic purpose was to represent the Habsburg dynasty’s dominion not only over rival families but over all of creation, including the many resources of Mother Nature.
At the same time, this rich and erudite symbolism of the anthropomorphic heads, in addition to glorifying Habsburg power, appealed to the court’s Mannerist taste for the rare, the curious, and everything that could arouse wonder among the art collectors of the time.
The anthropomorphic depictions of the Seasons conceived by Arcimboldi enjoyed immediate success, as evidenced by the existence of subsequent autograph versions, replicas executed by collaborators, and numerous antique copies, more or less faithful to the originals, which were produced and circulated throughout Europe as early as the end of the sixteenth century.
One artist who was strongly influenced by Giuseppe Arcimboldo was Francesco Zucchi (Florence, 1562 – Rome, 1622), an Italian painter known for having disseminated and perpetuated in Rome the style of “composed heads” conceived by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, who, for his part, worked primarily in Vienna and Prague, and as far as Milan.
A great many paintings historically cataloged as generic works by “followers of Arcimboldo” have now been reattributed to Francesco Zucchi (Fig. 4).
Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
