Instruments of Human Sustenance (Humani Victus Instrumenta): Agriculture 1569 - 1600

"Instruments of Human Sustenance (Humani Victus Instrumenta): Agriculture" is an engraving by Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The print, dated between 1569 and 1600, depicts a human figure composed entirely of agricultural tools. This work, characteristic of Arcimboldo's Mannerist style, is known for its whimsical and surreal approach to portraiture. The artist's fascination with visual puns and the manipulation of everyday objects to create symbolic imagery is evident in the detailed rendering of the tools as facial features. The artwork, currently held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, offers a unique perspective on the human condition and the relationship between humanity and the natural world.