Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527 – 1593) was an innovative painter of fantastical, allegorical representations of human faces composed entirely of fruit, vegetables, books and animals. Arcimboldo originally worked with his father, designing stained-glass windows and frescoes at the Milan Cathedral. In 1562, he began serving as the court painter for Emperor Ferdinand I, and his successors, Maximilian II and Rudolph II. During this period, Arcimboldo created his distinctive facial collages, including his famous “Four Seasons” series, which are displayed today in many renowned museums, including the Louvre. After his death, Arcimboldo’s work fell into obscurity, regaining prominence when it was rediscovered and celebrated by the Surrealists.

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