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Autumn — The Four Seasons — Harvest produce assembles into an autumnal face.
Look closely. Let the image settle.
Illusions in painting / 1573

Autumn — The Four Seasons

Harvest produce assembles into an autumnal face.

TRY THIS

Switch between the whole profile and its individual ingredients. Compare the other three seasons.

FOLLOW THE SOURCES

History, evidence & image credit

THE IMAGE IN THIS ARCHIVE

Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Original file & attribution · Public domain

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Frequently asked questions

What is Autumn — The Four Seasons?

Harvest produce assembles into an autumnal face.

What should I look for in Autumn — The Four Seasons?

Switch between the whole profile and its individual ingredients. Compare the other three seasons.

What explains Autumn — The Four Seasons?

Grapes, fruit, and seasonal materials build a profile while remaining identifiable individually. This is a composite portrait: the overall face emerges from an arrangement of separate things.

Another way to see it

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Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Rudolf II appears as a face assembled from fruit, flowers, and vegetables.

Autumn — The Four Seasons — Harvest produce assembles into an autumnal face.

Autumn — The Four Seasons