Who painted Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond?

Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond was painted by Giuseppe Maria Crespi in 1712.

Where can I see Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond?

Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond?

Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond

Giuseppe Maria Crespi , 1712

Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond 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, an early‑18th‑century Bolognese artist often called Lo Spagnuolo, produced the etching *Bertoldino Falling into a Fish Pond* circa 1712. Executed on laid paper, the print belongs to his diverse oeuvre that includes religious commissions, portraiture and genre scenes, and reflects his penchant for narrative detail and keen observation.

Subject & Meaning

The image captures a comic episode drawn from a popular literary source: the character Bertoldino, clad in a white robe, is shown mid‑fall into a fish pond, arms and legs flailing. A startled woman watches from the bank while a flock of birds takes flight overhead, emphasizing the sudden disruption of an otherwise tranquil setting.

Technique & Style

Crespi employs the etching medium to combine bold, sweeping lines with fine, delicate hatching, producing a lively sense of motion. The contrast between the smooth surface of the water and the chaotic figures above is heightened by careful shading and textural variation, giving depth to the scene and accentuating its dramatic tension.

History & Provenance

Created around 1712, the print is part of Crespi’s later period, when he increasingly turned to prints to disseminate genre subjects. It has passed through several private collections before entering a public museum inventory, where it is catalogued as an example of early 18th‑century Bolognese printmaking.

Artist & collection

Artist

Giuseppe Maria Crespi

Giuseppe Maria Crespi (14 March 1665 – 16 July 1747), nicknamed Lo Spagnuolo ('The Spaniard'), was an Italian late Baroque painter of the Bolognese School.