ARCIMBOLDO STYLE ARCIMBOLDO STYLE SELF-PORTRAITSELF-PORTRAIT

OBJECTIVES• View and discuss Renaissance art• Critique portraits by Arcimboldo – Where

do ideas come from?• Create your own self portrait through

imagery and symbolism • Utilize elements and principles effectively

in composition• Demonstrate skill and craftsmanship in

using materials

WHAT IS A PORTRAIT?• A work of art that represents a

specific person, a group of people, or an animal. Portraits usually show what a person looks like as well as revealing something about the subject's personality. Portraits can be made of any sculptural material or in any two-dimensional medium.

RENAISSANCE PERIOD• A revival or rebirth of cultural awareness

and learning that took place during the 14th and 15th centuries, particularly in Italy, but also in Germany and other European countries. The period was characterized by a renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman art and design and included an emphasis on human beings, their environment, science, and philosophy.

BOTTICELLI –Italian Painter

Portrait of a Young Womanafter 1480

DONATELLO – Italian Sculptor

Bust of Niccolo da Uzzano1430s

LEONARDO da Vinci –Italian Painter

Portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (Lady with an Ermine)1483-90

GIUSEPPE ARCIMBOLDO – Italian Painter

• Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527-1593) was born in Milan, Italy and is well know for his peculiar and bizarre pictures. His paintings were created for patrons such as Emperors of Austria and members of their court.

Self-Portrait – c.1575

About the Artist’s Style• He was one of a group of artists referred to as

Mannerist painters. Arcimboldo’s style uses realistic portraiture in a way that emphasizes human forms, yet the imagination and emotion of the piece seem more important. The Mannerist style went out of fashion for many years, but was rediscovered by artists in the 20th century. His work from the 16th century has similarities with works done by artists such as Magritte and Dali over 300 years later.

About the Artist’s Work• We know that Arcimboldo worked in oil on canvas

and often portrayed the seasons using natural materials arranged in a way that resembles a human form. He chose the specific textures and plant life of the season in creating his complex compositions. He depicted Winter as an old, grotesquely wrinkled man whose skin is created out of a gnarled, decomposing tree. In Summer, the harvest is portrayed using the fruits, vegetables and grains of the season. The man appears to be healthy and the feeling of the piece is upbeat.

Spring - 1573

Summer - 1573

Autumn - 1573

Winter - 1573

Vertumnus - 1590-1591

Flora – c. 1591

PROCEDURES• Trace a silhouette portrait of yourself from the

shoulders up• Brainstorm images and ideas that represent "self"  • Arrange the resulting symbols and images into a

pleasing arrangement within the silhouette portrait - utilizing elements and principles of design.

• Add elements to negative space to enhance the "story"

• Render composition in choice of media - watercolor, colored pencil, marker, and crayon resist

• Personal reflection on experiences and meaning of portrait - Artist's statement

STUDENT EXAMPLE

STUDENT EXAMPLE

STUDENT EXAMPLE