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ARCIMBOLDO, Giuseppe: Self-Portrait on Paper

🖼 Self-Portrait on Paper, 1587
Pencil, pen and ink, wash and warecoloured ink, gray wash on paper
442 × 318 cm
Genoa, Italy

Stacked vegetables and fruits form a whimsical human profile in graphite and watercolor, showcasing Arcimboldo's signature composite-head technique. This witty self-portrait demonstrates the Mannerist fascination with visual puns and clever artifice, establishing the artist's reputation for ingenious visual wordplay during the late Renaissance.

The story of art
The story of art
E. H. Gombrich
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