Fascinating Faces: Giuseppe Arcimboldo  Image credit:   Giuseppe
Arcimboldo's "The Librarian" is a favorite of readers Tanner
and Sue, who wanted to know a little more about the man who
created such an unusual portrait. While most of you are familiar
with his work, you probably don't know much about the man
himself. So, in honor of the 415th anniversary of his death
tomorrow, an Arcimboldo education:  1. While some of Giuseppe
Arcimboldo's capricci, or "fancy pieces," are colorful and
humorous, others can be downright frightening, leading some
critics to wonder if Arcimboldo may have been a bit deranged.
The paintings, in which everyday objects are arranged to create
a portrait, were all the rage in the 16th century, though, so
it's more likely Arcimboldo was just catering to the Renaissance
fascination with puzzles and all things bizarre.  2. The royalty
was quite fond of Arcimboldo's work. In 1562, Arcimboldo became
court portraitist to Maximilian II in Vienna. Later, he served
as court portraitist in Pra