Unique publication accompanying the astonishing exhibition on nature in the works of Arcimboldo, Bruegel, and Bassano

How did people in the Renaissance perceive nature and time? How were these relationships visualized in art? And what role did the fascinating cycles of seasons and months – expressed in ever-new and diverse forms – play in this context?

These are some of the central questions explored in this volume. Masterpieces by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Jacopo and Leandro Bassano, and many others are examined not only from an art historical perspective but also in terms of their content and original purpose for the patrons who commissioned them.

In addition to paintings, sculptures, and tapestries, the book presents clocks, globes, scientific instruments, and calendars, along with manuscripts and printed works related to the theme. Together, these objects illustrate how humanity oriented itself in the world and sought to find its place within it.

This publication accompanies the exhibition of the same title at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, from 11 March to 29 June 2025.