4 elements - Air by Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Belonging to a famous allegorical series of the Renaissance, this painting perfectly embodies the innovative aesthetic research of the international Mannerism of the court. The visionary creator Arcimboldo Giuseppe imagines here a unique anthropomorphic personification under the title of “4 elements - Air”. Through this ingenious and surprising graphic invention, the painter illustrates the richness of wildlife while dialoguing with the natural sciences flourishing at that time.

The right profile of a character is elegantly drawn against a rather neutral and dark ocre and textured background. The body and the head are entirely shaped by a multitude of exotic birds nested within each other. A majestic peacock with bluish plumage and an ocellated train forms the bust and the shoulder. The chin and the neck welcome a vigorous rooster with red feathers and a domestic hen with beige plumage. The skull and hair abound with small dark passerines, nocturnal raptors with round eyes and sharp beaks oriented in various directions. The varied expressions of the birds lend a strange vivacity to this hybrid silhouette.

The extreme meticulousness brought to the details of the colored feathers highlights the irreproachable technique of oil on canvas. Each feather is painted with surgical precision, offering a remarkable variety of textures. This prowess confirms the great technical know-how of this artisan out of the ordinary.