Arcimboldo’s Collage

The Italian Mannerist painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo [Ar-Chim-BOLD-o] (1527-1593) created a series of extraordinary collage-portraits that continues to fascinate viewers, more than four hundred years after the artist’s death.

The Archduke: After Arcimboldo (2012). Digital collage created & copyright © by Eric Edelman. All rights reserved.

Arcimboldo composed these pictures entirely from carefully grouped images of everyday objects, like books, plants, vegetables, and fruit, intentionally related to the subject of each portrait.  From a distance, the objects in each painting  blend together to portray its subject in an extremely lively (and sometimes lifelike) fashion.

(All artwork, descriptions, & other text created & copyright © by Eric Edelman. All rights reserved.)

archduke artist artwork collage portraits composite portraits digital collage Edelman eric edelman everyday objects fashion four hundred years giuseppe arcimboldo images italian mannerist painter painter painting plants portraits retrocollage vegetable vegetables

{ 34 comments }

{ 34 comments… add one }

• Cafe au lait July 18, 2012 at 4:00 am edit

  Great image! Thanks for hosting.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 6:19 am edit

    Thanks, and have a great WW!

    Reply
• Daryl July 18, 2012 at 7:03 am edit

  Thanks for hosting …. your collages always have me taking the time to sit, look & admire your talent

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 8:08 am edit

    Thanks very much, Daryl–I really appreciate your kind comment!

    Reply
• Robin from Israel July 18, 2012 at 7:59 am edit

  Great piece, very vibrant!

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 8:10 am edit

    Thanks, Robin!

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• alissa apel July 18, 2012 at 8:06 am edit

  I forget what those things are called that make up his hair. Are they called French Curves? It’s been years since I used one.

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 8:19 am edit

    Bingo, Alissa–congratulations! They are French curves. And I was wondering, secretly, if someone would see that. Thanks for answering my question in the affirmative! (Now, for extra credit: can you recognize what his ear is made of ?)

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• Carol @ Always Thyme to Cook July 18, 2012 at 8:35 am edit

  I enjoyed this one. Very creative!
  Thanks for hosting.

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:50 pm edit

    Thanks very much, Carol!

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• momto8blog July 18, 2012 at 8:39 am edit

  wow! my all time favorite.

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:49 pm edit

    Glad you like it–thanks for your comment!

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• Joyce July 18, 2012 at 8:41 am edit

  Now that’s cool!

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:48 pm edit

    Thanks, Joyce!

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• Brandi July 18, 2012 at 9:28 am edit

  So much detail! Is that a measuring tape for an ear and crescent roll for his mustache?? hehe

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:42 pm edit

    Yes, Brandi, you’re correct. Thanks for your comments, and have a super WW!

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• Helen July 18, 2012 at 9:30 am edit

  How unusual. I like it! Is the ear a measuring tape?

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:39 pm edit

    Yes, it is indeed a tape measure–good catch! Thanks for your comment, Helen, and have a great WW.

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• alissa apel July 18, 2012 at 9:33 am edit

  A tape measure? I’m not for sure.

  I wanted to mention that when I make a comment it often says your site is offline. It kicks me off. I can’t see if I commented or not. So far when I go back onto your site my comments have been there. I just thought you’d want to know.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:59 pm edit

    Right! (Sorry my site is acting up; I did get both of your messages. I’m working on a solution now.)

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• Christy Ann July 18, 2012 at 10:30 am edit

  This is very neat, I keep seeing new stuff in it! The ear looks like a drum, but I’m not sure…

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:32 pm edit

    Thanks, Christy Ann! Glad you like it.

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• aquariann July 18, 2012 at 10:36 am edit

  Neat! His mustache has me craving a croissant. Is it lunch time yet? 0.o

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:30 pm edit

    Thanks, Aquariann–it’s way past lunchtime where we are!

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• stevebethere July 18, 2012 at 11:04 am edit

  Brilliant and very imaginative

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:28 pm edit

    Thank you, Steve!

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• Paula J July 18, 2012 at 2:23 pm edit

  His ear’s a tape measure ?!! This slightly scares me Not really sure why.

  Paula
  lifeasweknowitbypaula.blogspot.com

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 2:28 pm edit

    Sorry it scares you, Paula; that certainly wasn’t the intent. True, his ear is a tape measure. (Perhaps he only hears measured words.)

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• Verena July 18, 2012 at 4:45 pm edit

  Wow, well done!
  Eric, how are you? I´m sorry, I couldn´t visit you for a while.
  Have a wonderful day!
  Verena

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 8:28 pm edit

    Danke für Ihren Besuch meinen Blog und kommentiert darüber, Verena! Ihr Urlaub Fotos waren sehr schön. Ich hoffe, Sie haben auch einen schönen Tag.

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• Verena July 18, 2012 at 4:50 pm edit

  Eric, I just wrote a comment. I´m not sure if you got it.

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 8:32 pm edit

    Alles verlief reibungslos, Verena! Versichert, dass ich deinen Kommentar eingegangen perfekt werden. Vielen Dank!

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• Judy Haughton-James July 18, 2012 at 5:44 pm edit

  Quite a portrait! Thanks for hosting and enjoy the rest of your day.

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  • Eric Edelman July 18, 2012 at 8:33 pm edit

    Thanks very much, Judy–hope you had a fine day as well!

    Reply