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ART MASTERPIECE: Vertumnus (Spring), by Giuseppe Arcimboldo

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ART MASTERPIECE: Vertumnus (Spring), by Giuseppe Arcimboldo ART MASTERPIECE: Summer by Giuseppe Arcimboldo Pronounced: (Gee-you-sheh-pay Ar-cheem-bowl-doh) Keywords: Renaissance, Portraits, Seasons, Elements, Organic Shape, “Grotesque,” Still Life, Collage. Grade: 4th Activity: 3-D funny face collage Meet the Artist: Giuseppe Arcimboldo was born in 1528, the son of a nobleman, in Milan, which is now called Italy. Arcimboldo started his life as an artist designing windows and tapestries and painting frescos for cathedrals. In 1562 he became court artist for the Hapsburg ruler Emperor Ferdinand I. While court artist, Arcimboldo also served as architect, engineer, and stage designer. Arcimboldo invented a new style of painting which has become known as “Grotesque”. Artists of this time typically painted in a very serious and realistic style. Arcimboldo experimented with a style of painting which put decorative flowers, fruits, vegetables, plants and animals into a very non-serious type of portraiture, meant to amuse the Emperor and his court. Even princes could laugh at the image of the noble visage turned into a mountain of vegetables. He created a series of “portraits of the season”, known as: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. This series shows a man made up of whatever that season had to offer. So, in Autumn, the man is made up of fruit from the fall, such as apples, grapes, and pumpkins. In Winter, the man is made up of a tree that has shed all of it’s leaves. He chose specific textures in the plants to portray people. He also painted the elements, including fire and water. Arcimboldo was maybe the first renaissance painter to be more interested in objects other than people. Interestingly, about twenty years after his death, the “still-life” evolved, which was all about flowers and fruit, shown without people. Some consider Arcimboldo the influence for Surrealism in the 20th century. Possible Questions: 1. What items can you identify in Summer? 2. Does it look textured to you? Does it look like you could feel the skins of the fruit and vegetables? 3. Does it look like a painting that is several of hundreds of years old, or does it look like it could be an illustration in one of your books? 4. Do you like it? Why? Why not? 5. Do you think it is creative? 6. Would you like a portrait made of you in this style? Project Objectives: To create a portrait collage of a human face (it does not have to be a self portrait). Creating a face using similar shape elements creating eyes, nose mouth in a creative silly style using a variety of materials. Materials: A variety of interesting objects (string, nuts, dried pasta, legumes, beans, pretzels, feathers, beads, buttons, etc.) 12”x18’ black construction paper Elmer’s or Tacky glue Cups, containers or paper plates to hold small items ** Please Note ** Allow enough time dry before hanging. Set up two to three stations so students can pick their items in a timely manner. Use bowls to put out the items for choosing. Students can put items into larger cups using small cups as a scoop if needed. They can then carefully pour the contents of their cup onto their desk to use. Please save all bowls and cups for other classes to use. ** Troubleshooting Thoughts ** Make sure you have enough glue! Before hanging, lift the portraits over a trashcan so excess pieces will fall into the trashcan and not on the floor! Process: 1. Look at Arcimboldo’s “Grotesque” portraits. Notice how he uses a different theme for each face, i.e. flowers, fruit, animals, etc. 2. Give each student a piece of black paper. Have them fold it in half to create a 9”x12” working surface. This will give it more stability. Have them attach the lesson info to the back. 3. Have the students sketch an outline of a face. 4. Place a variety of items out on tables “stations” so the students can choose what they will use to create their funny face, placing items into their cup. 5. Pass out glue and have students assemble their portrait using a variety of shapes. 6. Let them be creative; it should be fun, but doesn’t have to be anatomically perfect. Encourage the students to fill the space with stuff. 7. Have the students put their name on the front of their picture and if possible, title their artwork. Allow several hours to dry. .
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