Customer Reviews

Arcimboldo (Basic Art)

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I have the 1993 paperback edition of this book. In fact, this may be the only book with photographs of the few paintings and sketches remaining today of the painter, musician, scientist, naturalist Arcimbaldo to ever have been available in English in recent years, published with different covers, in different sizes and in different years.

If you like Salvador Dali, if you like Hieronymus Bosch and if you like Gaudi; even if you do not like Picasso or Hundertwasser, and if you still have not discovered Arcimboldo, get one of the Taschen books.

The paintings are art and fantasy and nature and science and puzzle and mystery and fun. I can continue looking at them for long periods, not as long as the Garden of Heavenly Delights but longer than most Dali paintings.

There is enough information to satisfy the layman regarding the painter and his times and life, and i find it all the better that the writer does not speculate about his personality or his artistic worth. It still makes a good starting point for the serious researcher.

I am sorely tempted to have a wall reserved for oil imitations of his seasons if i ever manage to get one more room for myself in our house. In the meantime, I treasure this book and will not give it to either of my architect daughters. Let them find their own copies.