The Librarian
Giuseppe Arcimboldo · 1556
Why it's great
A man's face and body are made of books, with a bookmark for a nose and a curtain for a cloak. Giuseppe Arcimboldo painted it in about 1556, and it's a funny portrait of a scholar made out of the things he loves.
Where to see it
📍 Skokloster CastleHåbo Municipality, Sweden
Open in Maps ↗Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo was an Italian painter, born in Milan in 1527. He is famous for portraits made of fruit, vegetables, flowers, fish and books, which work as faces when you look from far away. He worked for the Habsburg emperors in Vienna and Prague and died in 1593.
