Vertumnus (Emperor Rudolph II)

The Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II, who commissioned this painting, loved to have his portrait painted and is said to have stared at them endlessly, enraptured by the great masterpieces. He had his portrait made by many of the finest artists of the day, including Hans von Aachen, Adriaen de Vries and Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Rudolph collected such a vast number of paintings that his collection was considered one of the greatest in Europe. Here, in his typical style, Arcimboldo creates Rudolph’s image in fresh fruit and vegetables as the character of Vertumnus, the Roman god of plant life, growth, and the change of seasons.