Winter

We present today's painting thanks to Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, although this very weird portrait is currently not on display at the museum. It is on loan in Rome, Italy, for the Arcimboldo exhibition at Palazzo Barberini. Enjoy! :)

Arcimboldo depicts the bust of “Winter” in profile and as an old tree trunk, its scraggly hairs twined with thin branches and evergreen ivy, its stubbly beard consisting of moss, its mouth formed by two fungi, and its closed eye nothing but a crack in the tree trunk. A branch with two suspended lemons serves as Winter's sole embellishment. As in the figure of ”Summer”, the figure’s robe consists of straw matting; here it contains (on the lower left) a large incised "M" - a reference to the Emperor Maximilian II, Arcimboldo's most important patron. The fire-iron on the figure's shoulder is another reference to the Habsburgs. Fireirons and flints formed the necklace worn by the knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece, one of the most important symbols of the power of the House of Habsburg. This means that the painting not only depicts “Winter” but also pays homage to the emperor to whom it is dedicated. This is true of the series of the “Seasons” and of the “Elements”. Both proclaim that just as the seasons return in an eternal cycle so the rule of the House of Habsburg will last forever.

Also today it's my 30th birthday! :) Thank you for being a huge part of my life, all the kind words we have heard about DailyArt since we have started in 2012. For all your support, spreading the information about us, and sharing your stories with us: Cheers! :)

- Zuzanna