an acquired taste
BY NICOLE FAN
Becoming Human in Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s Paintings
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IT WAS NEW Year’s Day, 1569, and the Imperial Court of the Holy Roman Empire was alive with festive splendour: populated by an eclectic coterie of entertainers, furnished with exotic menageries, and known for its elaborate five-course banquets, it would have been an absolute feast for the senses of its Venetian nobles. Within such gilded halls, little might be expected to impress its emperor, Maximilian II, a man known for having exquisite taste. Yet, on the cusp of this new year, he found himself with a treat that surpassed all
other fleeting pleasures: not his usual vintage wines and salmon pâtés, but a set of eight delectable paintings that he greatly relished. Just what could be so compelling about these artistic delicacies – and who, indeed, was the maestro that had cooked them up? Giuseppe Arcimboldo was the painter in question, and a mere glance at his renowned ‘composite portraits’ explains Maximilian’s fascination. Awash with saturated hues, these glowing figures emerge from their dark canvases and