Artwork
Bertoldino Cutting Off the Donkey's Ears
Bertoldino Cutting Off the Donkey's Ears is an ink print by the Baroque artist Giuseppe Maria Crespi. It dates from 1712 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Giuseppe Maria Crespi’s print *Bertoldino Cutting Off the Donkey’s Ears* dates to roughly 1712. Executed as an etching on laid paper, the work measures a modest size typical of early‑18th‑century prints. It is presently housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and exemplifies Crespi’s engagement with everyday, comic subjects within the late Baroque idiom.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a lively rural episode: a barefoot boy grasps a donkey’s ear while another youth points and laughs, a pair of scissors poised to trim the animal’s ears. A leafy branch arches overhead, and an Italian caption below suggests the scene derives from a humorous anecdote, reflecting Crespi’s interest in the comic potential of ordinary life.
Technique & Style
Crespi employed the etching process on laid paper, allowing fine lines and delicate shading to render textures such as the donkey’s fur and the boys’ expressions. The composition balances detailed rendering with a loose, narrative quality, characteristic of genre prints that aimed to convey a story as much as a visual likeness.
History & Provenance
Created in the early 1700s, the print entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art through acquisition in the 20th century, though earlier ownership records are sparse. Its survival in good condition attests to the durability of laid paper and Cresci’s careful handling of the plate.
Context
Crespi, often called Lo Spagnuolo, was a leading figure of the Bolognese School during the late Baroque. While he produced religious commissions and portraiture, his genre scenes—like this etching—offered a counterpoint to the solemnity of sacred art, aligning with a broader European taste for moralizing yet entertaining visual anecdotes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giuseppe Maria Crespi (14 March 1665 – 16 July 1747), nicknamed Lo Spagnuolo ('The Spaniard'), was an Italian late Baroque painter of the Bolognese School.
