吉賽佩.阿爾欽博多(Giuseppe Arcimboldo, 1526-1593)為十六世紀的矯飾主義畫家(Mannerists),早期由米蘭的宗教裝飾藝術發跡,爾後成為哈布斯堡(Habsburg)皇室的宮廷畫家,歷經三任皇帝、為各項宮廷活動服務直到1587 年退休。在其漫長的藝術生涯中,最負盛名的繪畫作品,即是以各種不同的蔬果、花卉、動物甚至人工物品,在畫面上凝聚成肖似真實人類的形象,宛如拼圖般組合而成的「複合畫像」(Composite portraits),突顯出當時正值晚期文藝復興(Late Renaissance),過渡到矯飾主義(Mannerism)的時代氛圍。阿爾欽博多將種種題材旋繞於筆尖,表現出兼具靜物畫與肖像畫的特點,發展其個人獨特、怪誕(Grotesque)的藝術風格;而用以復合的物體,一方面經由原初的意義和外形符合畫中人物的輪廓與特徵,更在阿爾欽博多對宮廷元素的旁徵博引下,使複合畫像納入政治意涵,譜就成充滿「帝國寓意」(Imperial allegories)的象徵圖像。本篇論文,從阿爾欽博多的基本研究出發,旨在藉其複合畫像探究畫家的風格來源和成因,以及與畫家表現手法密不可分的、對於描繪主題之內在意涵。本文亦探詢阿爾欽博多對入畫物體的選擇,並進一步地結合社會背景、宮廷環境、宗教與哲學思想等底蘊加以辯證;由此出發,釐清畫家透過藝術潮尚與時興的新柏拉圖哲學思維所交織成的菱鏡,而沉澱於複合畫像上圓融的創作觀。
Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1526-1593) was an Italian painter who also known as a Mannerist in 16th century. Arcimboldo was first known for his talent in Christian Religious Art decoration. He was a designer of local cathedrals in Milan. Then he became a court portraitist serving the House of Habsburg. His life at court lasts pretty long time. He has served three emperors ranging from Ferdinand I, Maximilian II to Rudolf II. He continued to be a court portraitist and decorator until he retired in 1587. In his long period time of creation, he was particularly famous for his composite portraits in which he painted the representations of fruits, vegetables, flowers, animals and artificial objects to form the image of human portrait. His unique paintings show the typical atmosphere in Europe art circle where was in the time of the transition from Late Renaissance to Mannerism. Arcimboldo likes incorporating different types of materials in his art works. His painting has the characteristics of still life paintings and portrait paintings. He took all the elements and made his own unique and grotesque style. Also, in his works, Arcimboldo would use the elements of courts to make his paintings withhold various political metaphors and become his signature of imperial allegories. This thesis aims to discuss the unique style and subjects of Arcimboldo’s paintings and his motives in doing his creation. The thesis would probe deeper underlying meaning about Arcimboldo’s choice on his subjects by analyzing the social background and the court life in that time. The arguments will also be justified from religious and philosophical point of views in order to explain the mixed and balanced concept that the artist portrayed in his composite portraits with the fashion of arts and the ideas of Neo-Platonism.