Plate 7; Bertoldino lying on a donkey
1705-1715
Giuseppe Maria Crespi captures a moment of rustic humor in this Baroque-era print, showing the simple-minded peasant Bertoldino draped awkwardly over a donkey's back like a sack of potatoes. The donkey stands patiently while Bertoldino seems completely exhausted, perhaps overwhelmed by his own simplicity. The Italian text at the bottom mocks courtiers, suggesting there are plenty of fools in the royal court who could load a hundred donkeys just like him. It's a cheeky jab at the aristocracy, wrapped in a charming rural scene.
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