He’s a sponsor of esoteric philosophy, a patron of traditional arts, and an ardent layer of hedgerows. He seeks to restore harmony in the natural world and between the faiths, often meeting religious leaders from around the world and even welcoming them into his court. It may come as a surprise to learn that this is not a portrait of Charles III—despite the many resemblances—but Rudolf II (1552–1612), Holy Roman Emperor and philosopher king of Prague. Although perhaps better remembered as the subject of Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s
Vertumnus
, he was also a devoted ecumenist who reigned during a time of unprecedented pluralism and conflict. He too believed that strife could be overcome with recourse to universal principles that he saw as underlying all of creation.