ARCIMBOLDO, Giuseppe
(b. 1526, Milano, d. 1593, Milano)

Two portraits of Rudolf II with crown

1575
Black pen and ink on paper, 165 x 165 and 155 x 155 mm
Národní Galerie, Prague

In both sketches Arcimboldo defines with sparing pen strokes the profile of Rudolf sunk in the collar of his coronation mantel, though his main attention is on the crowns: to the left the imperial crown, to the right the Wenceslas crown. Here the artist himself notes down the purpose of these drawings: namely the appearance of the king bearing the respective crown at various coronation ceremonies.