Man Of Books

[poliphilo]

The Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum has an exhibition of the work of the 16th century Milanese painter Arcimboldo. Reading about it in the paper this morning got me trawling the web for images. Arcimboldo's particular schtick was to create human "portraits" out of still-life elements. He was semi-forgotten until the surrealists claimed him as a forebear.

This one looks remarkably like a cubist painting by Picasso or Braque. It's called The Librarian.

Comments

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Yes, there was definitely something in the air in the 16th century that made it seem remarkably modern. (See also http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/oribe-overseas-nov03-jt.html)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Those pots are absolutely contemporary.

I suppose that's partly because modern "art" potters have been inspired by classical Japanese work.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Oribe's work really came out of nothing and there was no one else like him. He was so entirely discontemporaneous that it's a good argument for time travel.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Time travel?

I love that idea.

[mummm.livejournal.com]

That's a new artist to me! Thank you for the information and look!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I've been aware of him for a while, but I never paid him much notice before now.