Description
Giuseppe Arcimboldo – Fire
| Year of creation: | 1566 |
| Original size: | 67 x 51 cm |
| Painting style: | Mannerism |
| Original technique: | Oil on panel |
| Located: | Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna |
The oil on canvas Fire is particularly interesting, because on it Arcimboldo depicted different types of fire – from the small flame of an oil lamp, the slightly stronger flame of a candle, and all the way to the full destructive power of fire, which he showed with cannons and guns. Of all the paintings in the Natural Elements series, this painting has the most symbols representing the Austrian Imperial Family. The burning figure has a gold chain around his neck, which represented one of the most important orders of the time, on the lower edge of the painting, we can also see a double-headed eagle on the portrait’s dress, also a symbol of the Holy Roman Empire, while cannons and guns symbolize the great military power of the empire, which was at war with Turkey at that time.
