1. Giuseppe Arcimboldo [jOOzep'pā ärchēmbôl'dō] (1527-1593)
Although Giuseppe Arcimboldo was extremely famous during his lifetime, he was soon forgotten after his death. We do not know why people ever lost interest in his art. Perhaps he was misunderstood by the generations that followed. The interest to his abstruse and fantastic pictures, of which we only have a very few originals, nowadays, revived only at the end of the 19th century. Apart from the fantastic pictures, he probably painted quite a few more traditional ones. But many of these, too, seem to have disappeared.             Giuseppe Arcimboldo was born into the family of a painter for the Milan Cathedral in The other variants of the name: Josephus, Joseph or Josepho Arcimboldi or Arcimboldus. It is uncertain which version is the correct one, because the painter used all these variants to sign his works. Many art historians agreed to use the variant of Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Self-Portrait. c Blue pen-and-wash drawing. Narodni Gallery, Prague, Chechia.

2. Biography
Arcimboldo was born in 1527 in Milan, Italy, into a well-connected family. His grandfather was an archbishop; his father an artist.
He began his career in the glass workshops of Milan Cathedral. He is known to have designed stained-glass windows and frescoes showing scenes from the lives of various saints.
In 1562 he went to work at the Hapsburg imperial court of Ferdinand I, staying on at court under Maximilian II and Rudolf II. It was here that he did the paintings he is today remembered for.
His paintings may appear to be the odd imaginings of an artist, but they are full of allegorical references that modern viewers don't get. For example, there are references to classical gods and the 'wonder cabinets' of his era, in which exotic or bizarre objects were kept. In his portraits of the seasons, Summer from fruit, Autumn from autumn fruits, and Winter from branches and leaves. Other portraits include a Librarian made from books, a Jurist from fish and meat, Water from aquatic animals, and Emperor Rudolf II who is portrayed by fruits from all four seasons, representing harmony.
Arcimboldo didn't paint only court portraits, he also organised parties, processions, games, weddings, celebrations, coronation festivals, did theatrical design, and designed architecture. Arcimboldo died on 11 July 1593, in Milan, passing into obscurity, until the Surrealists rediscovered and rejoiced in his work..

3. Map of the region in the year 1570
Modern Day Austrian Republic

4. Ferdinand I
Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I Habsburg (March 10, 1503 – July 27, 1564) was one of the Habsburg emperors that at various periods during his life ruled over Austria, Germany, Bohemia and Hungary.

5. Maximilian II
Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II of the Habsburg dynasty was born in 1527 at Vienna and died in 1576 in Regensburg. Maximilian was king of Bohemia from 1562, king of Hungary from 1563 and emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1564 until his death.

6. Rudolf II
Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II Habsburg was an emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, king of Bohemia, and king of Hungary. He was born in Vienna on July 18, 1552, and died in Prague on January 20, His father was Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, king of Bohemia, king of Hungary; his mother was Maria, a daughter of Charles V.

7. Fire Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Fire Oil on wood. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
  In 1549, at the age of 22, Giuseppe Arcimboldo made his debut as an artist. The records of the Milan Cathedral tell us that, together with his father, he was paid for designing several stained glass windows. He went on to work for the Milan Cathedral after his father’s death, until During this period he designed stained glass windows for the Milan Cathedral and several gobelin tapestries for the Como Cathedral.             In 1562, Giuseppe Arcimboldo became a court painter of Emperor Ferdinand I (Habsburg) and left for Vienna, then moved to Prague. During the 2 years, when  Arcimboldo served Ferdinand I, he painted several portraits of the Imperial family as well as the first series of his Four Seasons. The artistic concept of these pictures of 1563 was unique and laid the foundation of Arcimboldo’s success as a painter. The documents of the time bear witness to the fact that monarchs and his contemporaries in general were quite enthusiastic about his art.

8. Earth Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Earth. c Oil on wood. Private collection, Vienna, Austria.
When Ferdinand I died, in 1564, and was succeeded by Emperor Maximilian II ( ), Arcimboldo continued as his court artist. There is little doubt that a large number of pictures were painted between 1564 and 1576, but only very few of them are known to us: Water and Fire (1566), The Lawyer (1566), The Cook (1570) another series of the Four Seasons in 1572, two series of Four Seasons in 1573, including Spring (1573), Summer (1573), Autumn (1573), Winter (1573). In 1575 Arcimboldo made several paintings for the private chambers of the Emperor. We do not know of any other works. But apart from painting, Arcimboldo also had other duties at the Imperial court. As he was a man of many talents he also served the Emperor as an architect, stage designer, engineer, water engineer and art specialist. Because of his extensive knowledge he was able to exert his influence on Maximilian II.             Like his 2 predecessors, Emperor Rudolph II ( ) also took Arcimboldo into his service. The eleven years, which the artist spent with Rudolph II, were probably the peak of his career. The Emperor was extremely fond of Arcimboldo and showed great appreciation for him. All we know about Arcimboldo’s activities as an artist at the Imperial court is that  he painted The Four Seasons twice in 1577, that he dedicated a red leather folio containing 150 pen-and-ink drawings to the Emperor in 1585, and that he organized a number of festive processions and tournaments in the same year. We have no knowledge of any further pictures, which he might have painted, at the court in Prague after 1585.

9. Water Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Water Oil on wood. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.

10. Air Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Air. Oil on canvas. Private collection, Basle, Switzerland.

11. The Lawyer Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
The Lawyer Oil on canvas. Statens Konstsamlingar, Gripsholm Slott, Stokholm, Sweden.

12. Spring Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Spring Oil on canvas. Louvre, Paris, France.

13. Summer Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Summer Oil on canvas. Louvre, Paris, France. 

14. Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Autumn Oil on canvas. Louvre, Paris, France. 

15. Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Winter Oil on canvas. Louvre, Paris, France.

16. Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Eve and the Apple, with Counterpart. 1578.
Oil on canvas. Private collection, Basle, Switzerland.

17. The Vegetable Gardener, a visual pun which can be turned upside down. c Oil on wood. Museo Civico Ala Ponzone, Cremona, Italy.

18. Flora. c.1591. Oil on wood. Private collection, Paris, France. More.
Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. One spring Zephyr, the god of wind, saw her and fell in love, he carried her away, married, and granted her domain over flowers. She made some gifts to mankind, such as honey and seeds of countless varieties of flowers.
In 1591 he painted two of his most famous pictures, Flora (c.1591) and Vertumnus ( ), which he sent to Prague.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Flora. c Oil on wood. Private collection, Paris, France. More.

19. Vertumnus was particularly appreciated by everyone, especially by Rudolph himself. It is a head-and-shoulder portrait of the Emperor, showing him in the form of Vertumnus, the ancient Roman god of vegetation and transformation. Rudolph consists entirely of magnificent fruits, flowers and vegetables. Delighted with these paintings, Rudolph II  awarded Arcimboldo one of his highest orders in Next year on 11 July 1593 the painter died.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Vertumnus Oil on wood. Skoklosters Slott, Balsta, Sweden. More.

20. Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
The Librarian. c Oil on canvas. Skoklosters Slott, Balsta, Sweden.

21. Arcimboldo died on 11 July 1593, in Milan, passing into obscurity, until the Surrealists rediscovered and rejoiced in his work..
artist: Salvador Dali
title: The Persistence of Memory 
paper size:24 x 36 in.
image size:24 x 36 in.
artist: Salvador Dali
title: Face and Fruit on a Beach 
paper size:24 x 30 in.
image size:19 1/4 x 24 in.

22. References
His paintings may appear to be the odd imaginings of an artist, but they are full of allegorical references that modern viewers don't get. For example, there are references to classical gods and the 'wonder cabinets' of his era, in which exotic or bizarre objects were kept. In his portraits of the seasons, Summer from fruit, Autumn from autumn fruits, and Winter from branches and leaves. Other portraits include a Librarian made from books, a Jurist from fish and meat, Water from aquatic animals, and Emperor Rudolf II who is portrayed by fruits from all four seasons, representing harmony.
Arcimboldo didn't paint only court portraits, he also organised parties, processions, games, weddings, celebrations, coronation festivals, did theatrical design, and designed architecture. Arcimboldo died on 11 July 1593, in Milan, passing into obscurity, until the Surrealists rediscovered and rejoiced in his work..