Style Imitating Art…
Welcome to Style Imitating Art which comes from Salazar, Shelbee, and me. You can think of this series as fashion meets art museum! SIA challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. Shelbee is this week’s curator with this colorful painting. I hope you enjoy this post, the information, and my interpretation.
How it works…
Every other Monday one of us selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. We then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, we share our outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. I chose this week’s art work for this round of Style Imitating Art. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. Please send your photo to Shelbee by Tuesday, October 21st, 2025 by 10 pm EST. Style Imitating Art is an interesting way to inspire your outfits. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here, and here.
The artist…
Giuseppe Arcimboldo (Arcimboldi) was born on April 5, 1527 in Milan, the Duchy of Milan, Holy Roman Empire. He died on July 11, 1593 in Milan, the Duchy of Milan, Hapsburg, Spain. I mention that now because I think they’re the same place, but the governance just changed. But, then again, I didn’t really delve too deeply into it. I just thought it was a tad interesting. His father, Biagio, was also an artist in Milan, Italy. And, like his father, Giuseppe began his career as a stained glass designer. He also designed frescoes at nearby cathedrals when he was 21 years old! Fourteen years later, he was the court portraitist to Ferdinand I at the Hapsburg Court in Vienna. Later, he did the same for Maximilian II and his son, Rudolf II at the court in Prague. All three of these guys were Holy Roman Emperors! In addition, he was the court decorator and costume designer.
A little more…
Arcimboldo was a pretty conventional court painter when it came to portraits. Eventually, he would create drawings of the exotic animals in the imperial menagerie. Arcimboldo is considered an Italian Mannerist. I had never heard of this, but I am discovering there are many art periods/movements of which I’m unaware. Mannerism came after the High Renaissance which emphasized proportion, balance, and ideal beauty. Mannerism exaggerated those qualities, often distorting proportion into asymmetry and ideal beauty into unnatural elegance. It was more artificial than natural and created tension rather than balance in paintings.
Unfortunately, Arcimboldo’s early portraits have “fallen into oblivion,” whatever that means. I’m not sure if it means they’ve been completely lost, or if they have fallen into the hands of collectors who decline to reveal they have them. It’s believed that about 20 of his pictures remain. And, if they were available on the market, expect to pay anywhere from five to ten million dollars…and that’s a modest estimate! In any event, we aren’t really concerned with those, are we?
Even more…
So, let’s talk about Guiseppe Arcimboldo’s heads made from fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books. One of his first works of this kind was titled The Librarian. Arcimboldo didn’t just paint the items on his canvases willy nilly. He carefully plotted out where each item would go, relying on his imagination for the construction. For The Librarian, he used items pertinent to the book culture of the time. For example, animal tails form the beard of the librarian because they were used as dusters in a library. Those who were part of the book culture were not amused! They felt the painting mocked their scholarship. Arcimboldo actually saw the work as a criticism of people who collected books as objects rather than to read! Hmmm…seems we might have some of that going on in the current day. Have you heard of the trend to buy books of a certain color to arrange on your bookshelves? Seriously, people/designers buy books (their covers, actually) based on a color palette as decoration rather than to actually open them and read them! But, I digress! Of course, Arcimboldo painted some of these portraits as curiosities which would entertain the court. And, as always, there were critics!
Mannerists, like Arcimboldo, also chose to show how close the relationship between humans and nature was. Arcimboldo did this through his portraits.
“In The Spring, the human portrait was composed of only various spring flowers and plants. From the hat to the neck, every part of the portrait, even the lips and nose, was composed of flowers, while the body was composed of plants. On the other hand, in The Winter, the human was composed mostly of roots of trees. Some leaves from evergreen trees and the branches of other trees became hair, while a straw mat became the costume of the human portrait (source).”
The critics…
As usually happens when something really different comes along, there is criticism. Some art critics believe these fruit/vegetable/etc paintings are just whimsical paintings while others insist Arcimboldo was not of sound mind. But, many scholars point to the “Renaissance fascination with riddles, puzzles, and the bizarre (source)” and argue Arcimboldo was just painting what others wanted to see.
After retiring from Prague, Arcimboldo died in Milan, Italy. You can find his works in Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Habsburg Schloss Ambrass in Innsbruck; the Louvre in Paris; as well as in numerous museums in Sweden. In Italy, his work is in Cremona, Brescia, and the Uffiizi Gallery in Florence. The Denver Art Museum in Denver, Colorado; the Menil Foundation in Houston, Texas; and the Candie Museum in Guernsey also have Arcimboldo works. The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid owns a painting of The Spring.
Finally…
In the early 20th century, Surrealists like Salvador Dali rediscovered Arcimboldo. In addition, psychologists and neuroscientists use his works to determine the presence of lesions in the hemispheres of the brain that recognize global and local images and objects! You can read lots more here about Arcimboldo. It seemed to devolve into a bunch of gobbledygood for me!
The artwork…
Arcimboldo painted this for Habsburg Emperor Maximillian II. Autumn is currently on view at the Denver Art Museum. The image itself measures 36 in (91.44 cm) high by 27 5/8 in (70.17 cm) wide. Framed, the work is 48 ¾ in (123.83 cm) high by 40 ¼ in (102.24 cm) wide. The frame depth is 3 ½ in (8.9cm). It is oil on canvas and was painted in 1572. It was a gift of John Hardy Jones in 2009. You’ll notice the head comes out of a wooden barrel while the neck is made of gourds. The man’s nose is a pear, and grapes and grain create the hair. The skull is a white pumpkin, and the ear is a mushroom. Amazing!
My interpretation…
This was a tough one, my friends! I went through my closet, looking for any kind of fruit or vegetable. The only things I could find were lemons and watermelon! Ask me for flowers, and I can give you plenty of those! At that point, I realized I was going to have to rely on the color story. This Summer Flourish Wrap dress from Kantha Bae gave me the colors of the pumpkin and even the wooden barrel. Remember, I can’t link to the exact dress I have because they are all unique. Now, here’s the thing with this dress. It’s free size which means, supposedly, it will fit anyone from a 0 to 24. You know what that means, right? It truly only fits the larger size well. Another problem is there isn’t a snap or anything to hold the side of the dress you wrap under in place. The last problem is when I tie it at the side, it just hangs there limply. I love the print itself so I decided I’m going to wear it open. I think I’ll just chop off the ties. Right now, I have them tucked into the pockets. In order to bring out the darker colors in the painting, I added a Mesh Turtleneck from Banana Republic. I read the reviews and wasn’t sure about it. But, oh, my friends, it’s like wearing a wisp of clothing; it is just so soft. I then added a skirt from J Jill in a dark floral print. Do they match? Nope, but I don’t think Arcimboldo cared much about matching his fruits and vegetables. In order to break up all that print, though, I did add my black leather obi belt.
The Lewk!
I think pedicure season may be over! It’s time to break out the boots. These are the Water Lily boots by L’Artiste. I thought the green textured pattern was perfect for this artwork as there’s so much texture there. Next came the gingko necklace and earrings because they’re plants. I added two prasiolite (green amethyst) earrings to continue the green theme!
Wrap it up, Marsha!
I am so intrigued by this art. I love that the artist didn’t just select items and think, “Oh, I’m going to use this to paint a portrait.” No, he gave it a lot of thought and selected objects relevant to the subject. So, can we talk? What do you think? Was Arcimboldo a little mad, or was he a genius? Or, was he both? What fruits or vegetables would you use to paint yourself? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.
Don’t forget…
If you want to be included in the Style Imitating Art round up, send Shelbee your photo by 10:00 pm EST, Tuesday, October 21st. Photos of everyone participating will appear on her blog on Wednesday, October 22nd! If you’re interested in joining us, consider all of your options…the colors, the textures, the feelings they evoke! Come on, give it a try! I think you’ll love it!
Thank you!
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Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World and A Fresh Cup of Coffee. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop (Esme’s Salon) and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, and Sue. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!
I think Arcimboldo wasn’t mad at all.
From what I know, he didn’t just use elements pertaining to the topic of the painting, but he placed those elements very thoughtfully and with a lot of meaning behind them. Absolutely fascinating!
I like your outfit, but of course I have always been partial to dusters over turtlenecks.
Thanks, Cat! I totally forgot to include that. I truly wonder why people thought him mad because it’s not like there haven’t been strange things in the art world since the dawn of creation! I was really happy I happened to have this turtleneck because I think, even though very little of it shows, it’s kind of the star of the look!
It’s a very impressive piece of art. A good choice.
Thank you, Rosie! It’s really so unique and colorful!
Nice job, Marsha! You incorporated the colors and textures beautifully!
xo,
Kellyann
Thank you, Kellyann! This was a tough one. They keep getting tougher and tougher! But, it’s so much fun to push myself this way.
Such an interesting piece of art! I like your interpretation of i with all the different prints and colors!
Thanks, Laura! It is interesting and weird and fun all at the same time. I’m glad you liked it!
I think this artist was a genius! This piece of art is so cool! I love that he used objects to create the portrait! Your color palette and outfit are perfect for this painting!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Thanks, Jill! I agree…I think Arcimboldo was definitely a genius. I really appreciated he used objects that related to the subject, too. Would I hang this in my house? Maybe! I really love the colors and the way it would spark conversation. But, then again, I don’t have $5-10 million just laying around so I don’t have to worry about it. It’s so sad so few of his pieces survive.
I like how you leaned into the “all mixed up” aspect of the painting with your multiple prints! The gingko necklace is so strikingly beautiful against the dark colors of the turtleneck – what a statement piece!
Thank you, Sally! I am so glad you picked up on that! I didn’t say anything because it just seemed so apparent to me. I really did splurge on the gingko necklace, but there was a double discount going on at the time. I have been looking at these pieces for so long, and I love the shape of gingko leaves.
I tend to air on the side of genius and original rather than mad. That type of artwork seems like it would take way too much forethought and planning for anyone who was out of their minds. You did a great job using the artwork to guide your outfit. I’m sure this was a challenging one.
Thanks, Joanne! I really like that…genius and original! It really was challenging. I had one outfit all figured out, but it involved a teal skirt because I was convinced there was teal in the painting. If there is, there’s very little. So, back to the drawing board I went. I like what I came up with, but I wouldn’t wear the skirt and the top together. I kinda like them each with the duster, though.
Its super cool…both the artwork and the fit….I can’t believe you dont have veggies in your closet😂😂
Xoox
Jodie
Thanks, Jodie! No, I don’t have any veggies! I thought about trying to find something really cool and vintage on Etsy or Poshmark. But, I like the challenge of figuring out a different way rather than buying something new.
I do not think the artist was mad, but I am definitely mad about this outfit, my friend! What an amazing combination of prints and gorgeous fall colors. I think Arcimboldo was quite the genius the way he plotted the objects to form the heads and used relevant objects to the subject matter. If I were to use fruits or vegetables to create a self portrait, I think I may go for all the brightly colored citrus fruits and summer berries! I also am completely fascinated by his artwork and a little sad that most of it has disappeared into oblivion. This was super fun!
Shelbee
Aww, thanks, Shelbee! Once I decided to just go for it with patterns and prints, the outfit came together rather quickly. I am so glad you picked this piece. I would probably do watermelons with grapes and then throw in some peonies in full bloom as well as roses! I would really love to find some prints…but where to hang them!
You nailed it with all the colors and textures in this look! Those boots are so cool!
https;//www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks so much, Kathrine! I was really happy with how the look came out.
I am pretty sure I have seen the print of this artwork before. I think it is really cool and it does remind me of Dali. I grew up in the south of France and we would pass the Dali museum when we went to Figueras in Spain. So weird art is sometimes something that I like and this is pretty fun!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelom.com
Thanks, Mireille! It is really an amazing piece of work. How lucky you are to have seen it! I am finding I like weird art as much as the Old Masters.
I love how you’ve mixed different prints and colours, Marsha! And I think the look is a huge success—things don’t always have ‘go’ to look great and you’ve nailed it!
I love that it’s finally (well, almost over here) boot weather lol! I’m happt to put away all my sandals!
As for the artist, I think he was a genius.
Big hugs
Suzy xx
Thank you, my friend! I figured he’d mixed up fruits and vegetables so I would mix up prints. I really do like the way it came together. Yes, I’m pulling out the boots, but I’ll be wearing sandals for a bit yet. I agree…he was definitely a genius!
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Hi, Marsha – This turned out absolutely beautifully! It’s amazing that the mismatched prints seem to blend together so well. I think you were born to be a docent. Thanks for this inspiration – Angie, http://www.yourtrueselfblog.com
Thanks so much, Angie! I think the obi helped to separate the prints yet bind them together at the same time! And, thank you so much for the compliment about being a docent. I just love it!
Ooo this picture took me back to humanities in high school!! It’s been a while since I’ve seen it. This would be a tricky one to do!
I think you pulled it off in a fun, unique way. The boots are the gorgeous cherry on top 😍
Thank you, Edi! I’ve never seen it before, but so many people have! I struggled a bit, but I really do like what I came up with!
I used to love that paining as a kid. I think because it was like the singing orange in Sesame Street. Love your pumpkin too. How cool! #TrafficJamReboot
Thanks, Lydia! I have been so surprised at how many people were familiar with this artist. It really is cool!
What an interesting piece of art, Marsha. I had to really study the painting to identify the various fruits and vegetables. I also admire your creativity in coming up with a related outfit. Another job well done!
Thank you, Christie! It is so fun to look at. I’d love to see an original or one of his copies! I had fun creating this, but it was definitely a challenge!
What a talented artist and a striking piece- and um, I think you did a great job of recreating it with the color palette and general texture of your look! Well done, Marsha!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
Thanks, Ashley! It was definitely a challenge, but it’s an amazing piece of art, isn’t it?
You’ve perfectly echoed the colors of the artwork. The outfit looks perfect for fall and very on trend in the colors! Thanks for linking at #TuesdayTwirl
Thank you so much, Gail! I was very happy with the results! And, thank you again for the Tuesday Twirl!
I haven’t heard of the artist before so thank you for sharing! I agree he is very talented. And I love the fun outfit you were inspired to create! The dress looks so good worn as a duster, particularly mixed with the other prints. It’s beautiful on you 🙂
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Thanks you so much, Mica! I struggled a bit with this and then just went for it and had lots of fun! I hope you are doing well!
Very creative interpretation, a fun and artsy outfit! Like you, I am forced to wear boots now, no more sandals, although I used to wear them in November as long as possible, but my feet are too cold.
❤️carmen
Thanks, Carmen! I had fun putting this together once I decided on the top. I’ll wear sandals until it snows because my feet stay warm. But, once they get cold, they’ll stay that way! Have a wonderful week!
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