Summer 1573

Curator: Here we have Giuseppe Arcimboldo's "Summer," painted in 1573. It’s an oil on panel, currently residing here at the Louvre. Editor: It’s utterly bizarre! My first thought is, what a strange portrait. It’s quite arresting – a little bit repulsive, even, and somehow, strangely… regal? Curator: Indeed. Arcimboldo was a master of visual puns. The entire figure is constructed from summer fruits and vegetables. You see the pear forming the cheek, the cherry-red lips, the wheat composing the figure's garments. Editor: It's extraordinary how he transforms the fruits of labor—literally!—into an aristocratic form. But I wonder about the cultural context. How did viewers at the time react to this? Was it meant to be humorous? Political? Curator: Likely all of the above! Arcimboldo was court painter for the Habsburgs, so these allegorical portraits were carefully crafted. "Summer" isn't just a clever still life; it's also a symbol of abundance and prosperity reflecting on the Emperor's reign. Consider the use of oil paints; layering would have offered texture resembling the subjects. Editor: So, this wasn't just art for art's sake; it was carefully positioned as propaganda. This type of mannerist excess always fascinates me in that regard. Think about the workshops involved and the chain of commissions, including those who provided raw material: from the fields and orchards. That's often overlooked. Curator: Exactly. Each choice of fruit, vegetable, even the arrangement contributes to the message. The inclusion of garlic as the eye or wheat as raiment were strategic considerations that alludes to the land under Habsburgs' care and that's visualized through the canvas' materiality and medium. Editor: Thinking about it now, seeing something like this would definitely be jarring and impressive considering paintings featuring natural materials weren't typically featured at royal courts. This gives a refreshing perspective, that is also visually engaging. Curator: Agreed. It’s a piece that manages to be both beautiful and grotesque, whimsical and deeply rooted in the socio-political landscape. Editor: Precisely. Looking at it, you wouldn't realize there's so much layered behind this, I now wonder how audiences received it then!