Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527 - 11. 7. 1593) - Italian painter. For his quirky, difficult to categorize and sometimes idiosyncratic artistic expression, is seen as a forerunner of European surrealism.

Giuseppe Arcimboldo was born in a respectable family in Milan, Italy. His father was a renowned painter, grandfather church reached the rank of archbishop. Even at a young age to attention proposals windows and tapestries for the cathedral in Milan and Monza. Cathedral of Como, still adorns his frescoes. Bizarre originality of this artist is, however, fully apparent until later. In 1562 he accepted an invitation to the imperial court in Prague alone Rudolf II., As a great lover of the arts, a talented painter in his imagination does not brake. And trust him, as evidenced by the fact that Arcimboldo, commissioned by examining and purchase works of art. At court painter, for example, but also dealt with a variety of costumes or decorations.

Although Arcimboldo in 1587 returned to Milan with the emperor remained in contact. From Italy sent him eccentric image, in which Rudolf II. portrayed as an ancient god Vertemnus. Portrait of a composition formed of different kinds of fruits.

During the Thirty Years War, some Arcimboldovy paintings disappeared from Prague and later appeared in a private collection Swedish Queen Christina. Basking in the work of this Italian painter once again received after the onset of European surrealism in the twentieth century. Many artists saw in him predecessor, indeed, the spiritual father of style. Known Arcimboldovy admirers included the Spanish painter Salvador Dal�.