Flora Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1526-1593)
Giuseppe Arcimboldo – Flora
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Painter: Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Location: Private Collection
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A human portrait composed of flowers is how Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s work entitled Flora might be characterized. The facial features and collar are made of buds and petals, and the garment itself is made of flowing leaves. On her head is a bright wreath, with a red lily in the center. From the collar, at the bottom, a yellow lily looks out like a lantern. At that, the portrait turned out as if alive.
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Description of Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s painting Flora
A human portrait composed of flowers is how Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s work entitled Flora might be characterized. The facial features and collar are made of buds and petals, and the garment itself is made of flowing leaves.
On her head is a bright wreath, with a red lily in the center. From the collar, at the bottom, a yellow lily looks out like a lantern. At that, the portrait turned out as if alive. The eyes have their own expression. It seems that the flora in the portrait is watching us. Only a true master of painting can achieve this.
The freshness and originality of Arcimboldo’s ideas liked King Rudolph, who was the gift of this painting, which became one of the artist’s later works. Earlier he had experimented with a similar theme, creating portraits from the gifts of nature and various objects. Thus appeared his famous cycle "The Seasons". However, there mainly exploited the theme of the male portrait. In general, in the genre of portrait still life with Arcimboldo men occur much more frequently.
Here we see a woman who is smiling. Is that why the flower petals are so tender and close to each other? After all, the author of the painting had to show exactly a woman’s body. That’s why there shouldn’t be any abrupt and rough transitions. It should be devoid of any brutality. It should be a real flower goddess. But, alas, she looks elderly: after all, the contours of flowers resemble wrinkles, but an old lady’s face can also be beautiful, if it is lit with a smile and a radiant gaze.
Flora is not an old woman, but rather a middle-aged lady, wise with experience. This can be seen in her gaze. It does not have the ardor typical of young creatures, her condition is balanced, there is kindness written on her face, but you can feel a slight irony, like a sparkle in her eyes.
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In this striking portrait titled Flora, the subject is primarily depicted through an intricate mosaic of flowers. The face is formed by white and pale pink blossoms, meticulously arranged to create the features. The nose appears as a long, golden yellow flower, while the lips are suggested by two plump red elements, possibly rosebuds or berries. The eyes are discernible, with shaded contours and dark pupils against the floral composition of the face.
A majestic floral headdress crowns the figure, brimming with a vibrant array of red, orange, yellow, and white flowers, some in full bloom and others as buds. Green foliage and delicate yellow blossoms cascade from the sides of the headdress, adding a dynamic, almost ethereal quality. The neck and upper chest are adorned with a dense collar or ruff of small white flowers, creating a stark contrast with the dark clothing beneath, which is richly embellished with leaves and what appears to be a crimson trim accented with a golden yellow lily-like flower. The overall impression is one of opulence and the celebration of natures beauty.
The subtexts of this artwork are multifold: