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Arcimboldo Style Self-Portraits
Submitted by: Nerina Patane -
T. C. Roberson High School - Ashville, NC
Unit: Self Portrait - Renaissance Art - Arcimboldo
Grade Level: High School (adaptable to all grade levels)
Objectives: Students will
View and discuss Renaissance art
Critique portraits by Arcimboldo -Where do ideas come from?
Create their own self portrait through imagery, symbolism - create self-identity
Utilize elements and principles effectively in composition
Demonstrate skill and craftsmanship in using materials
Vocabulary:
Arcimboldo - identify - self-portrait - Narrative - Symbolism - Positive/negative shape - Art style
Materials:
Overhead Projector
White Drawing Paper
Choice of media:
markers, Colored Pencils
Resources:
Giuseppe Arcimboldo - (Archive) Four seasons, elements and more (not high
quality images). [ bio ]
Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Has high quality images (site has pop-ups and annoying banners)
Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Online - Many more resources online.
Aiwaz's Arcimboldo website - (Archive) This site has many of his pictures illustrated.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo's hallucinations: Fantasy or insanity? - An interesting New York Times Article.
Fun book to relate to this lesson: Faces: 78 Portraits from Madonna to the Pope.
Prints by Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Instruction/Motivation:
What is a portrait? Show examples of non-traditional self portraits. View and discuss portraits from the Renaissance and compare/contrast with those by Arcimboldo.
Encourage students to collect images that answer "Who am I?"
Preparation:
Trace student silhouettes during previous lesson with an overhead projector or other strong light source. Students could take turns tracing - or the teacher could trace all of them.
Lesson Summary:
The students learned about Arcimboldo, were exposed to and inspired by his work, and then tried to create a composite head of their own. This project proved to be fun, strange, and challenging for the students. The students were encouraged not just to "fill" their head with items, but to try to make their features out of certain shapes or placement of items. Because this was the last project of the year, the students were allowed to work with the medium or mediums of their choice. This made the students think about what medium would best contribute to their idea. This was very challenging, but successful as can be seen by viewing the examples.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo- Italian painter. In the middle of the sixteenth century Arcimboldo made a normal debut with youthful works including designs for windows and tapestries respectively in Milan and Monza cathedrals and frescos for the cathedral of Como. None of these gave any inkling of the bizarre originality he would soon develop. In 1562 he was summoned to the Imperial court in Prague and almost immediately his original and grotesque fantasy was unleashed. He invented a portrait type consisting of painted animals, flowers, fruit, and objects composed to form a human likeness. Some are satiric portraits of court personages, and others are allegorical personifications.
Arcimboldo's style has been so often imitated over the centuries that it is sometimes difficult to make exact attributions. He has been seen by some as the forerunner of Surrealism in the 20th century, but, more to the point, he should be seen in his own context at the end of the Renaissance. This was a time when people (collectors and scientists alike) were beginning to pay more attention to nature. Arcimboldo really created the fantastic image of the court in Prague, creating costumes, set designs, and decorations. Emperor Rudolf II set him the task of researching and buying works of art and natural curiosities, as well as giving him countless commissions for paintings.
Procedure:
Brainstorm on images and ideas that represent "self"
Arrange the resulting symbols and images into a pleasing arrangement within silhouette portrait - utilizing elements and principles of design.
Add elements to negative space to enhance the "story"
Render composition in choice of media. shown above: Watercolor, colored pencil and crayon resist
Personal reflection on experiences and meaning of portrait. Artist's statement.
Evaluation: Modified rubric - adapted from Marianne Galyk
Assessment Rubric |
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Student Name:
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Class Period: |
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Assignment: Arcimboldo Self Portrait |
Date Completed: |
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Circle the number in pencil that best shows how well you feel that you completed that criterion for the assignment. |
Excellent |
Good |
Average |
Needs Improvement |
Rate Yourself |
Teacher’s Rating |
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Criteria 1 – Student idea gathering process - collection of symbols and images |
10 - 9 |
8 - 7 |
6 – 5 – 4 |
3 - 2 - 1 |
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|
|
Criteria 2 – Overall composition - use of elements and principles of design - suitability of media (aesthetics) |
10 - 9 |
8 - 7 |
6 – 5 – 4 |
3 - 2 - 1 |
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|
|
Criteria 3 – Reflection on meaning - artists statement |
10 - 9 |
8 - 7 |
6 – 5 – 4 |
3 - 2 - 1 |
|
|
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Criteria 4 – Effort: took time to develop idea & complete project? (Didn’t rush.) Good use of class time? |
10 - 9 |
8 - 7 |
6 – 5 – 4 |
3 - 2 - 1 |
|
|
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Criteria 5 – Craftsmanship – Neat, clean & complete? Skillful use of the art tools & media? |
10 - 9 |
8 - 7 |
6 – 5 – 4 |
3 - 2 - 1 |
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Total: 50 (possible points) |
Grade:
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Your Total |
Teacher Total |
Student Comments (strengths/weaknesses):
Teacher Comments:
