Giuseppe Arcimboldo (pronounced Archimboldo) does not look like a fun person in this self portrait:

but he was skilled and imaginative in his art, and is most famous for his "portraits" of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. They are made up of objects which represent those seasons. Here is Winter with (The images on this page are quite large, so please be patient as they load):

This amazing portrait of Winter is obviously a head made from an old tree with two lemons as a clasp for the cloak, but it is just the start of Arcimboldo's skill and imagination.

By the way, the program Repligator has an effect called "Flowers" which, while not as skillful as Giuseppe, can change a portrait into a flower garden in a few clicks:

Arcimboldo (sometimes called Arcimboldi) was born in Milan, Italy in 1527, his father was a painter and worked on the Duomo di Milano (the cathedral of Milan). Arcimboldo initially worked with his father on the decorations and paintings of the cathedral.

In 1562 he went to Vienna as the offical portraitist of the Imperial Court, and a year later painted the first versions of his "Four Seasons". Winter is shown above, Spring, Summer and Autum are shown below (Large images, so please be patient, it is worth while!):

Blossoming flowers and green plants have been used to create this image of Spring

Here we see Summer made of the harvest of fruit, vegetables and corn.

Now we move into Autumn with potatos and grapes and other fruits of Fall

In 1570 he went to Prague to organize the entertainments for the wedding of the King of France, Carlo IX, and Elizabetta, daughter of Massimiliano II. Not only artist but entertainments organizer!

In 1580 the Emperor of the Hapsburg Empire, Rodolfo II, "confirms the nobility" of the Arcimboldo family, maybe that is why Arcimboldo painted a portrait of Rodolfo II:

The full title of the painting is "Portrait of Rodolfo II as Vertunno". Vertunno is the god of transfomations, and has the ability to change himself into any form he desires. In this instance the Emperor has decided to transform himself into fruit, vegetables and flowers!

Remember the grim portrait at the top of this page? Well look at the fun of this painting:

Now scroll down to the same painting upside down . . .

Arcimboldo returned to Milan in 1587 and died there in 1593.

Arcimboldo was ignored for 400 years until the some of the Surrealists recognised his genius and adopted him as the "father of Surrealism".