Bertoldo in een zak 1710 - 1715

This etching, made by Giuseppe Maria Crespi, depicts a scene with Bertoldo in a sack. But what does it all mean? The sack itself is a potent symbol, often associated with vulnerability and deception. It is a motif we see echoed through history, from the captivity of mythical figures to the hiding of precious objects. Here, the sack might represent Bertoldo's cunning, as he uses it to outwit the "sbirro," or police officer, in a game of cat and mouse. Consider, too, the gesture of adjustment by the officer. It is a universal signal of scrutiny, a moment of hesitation before realization. Like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, it engages in a dance of awareness and illusion. Observe how Crespi utilizes this image to evoke laughter, demonstrating the cyclical return and evolution of symbols through our shared cultural memory.