Page: Summer
Artist: Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Completion Date: 1563
Style: Mannerism (Late Renaissance)
Series: The Seasons
Genre: allegorical painting
Technique: oil
Material: canvas
Dimensions: 67 x 51 cm
Gallery: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria
Tags: allegories-and-symbols, fruits-and-vegetables, summer
Arcimboldo made many renditions as himself of the fours seasons, with winter being dry broken twigs and rock, spring full of flowers and new growth, summer full of fresh and fully ripe fruits and vegetables, and autumn being images of the harvest. Perhaps the fruity images of summer are best known. For example, in the movie series “Harry Potter,” there is a bowl of fruit at the entrance to a door. Upon requiring entrance, the fruit will sit up, frown, and shake its head no for no entrance allowed, or sit up, smile, and nod its head, allowing entrance into the room.