Plate 17: Marcolfa shows Cacasenno a horse, from "Bertoldo, Bertoldino, and Cacasenno" 1705 - 1715

"Plate 17: Marcolfa shows Cacasenno a horse, from "Bertoldo, Bertoldino, and Cacasenno", is an etching by Giuseppe Maria Crespi (1665-1747), dating from 1705-1715. The etching depicts a scene from the Italian satirical novel, "Bertoldo, Bertoldino, and Cacasenno." The scene shows Marcolfa, a cunning peasant woman, leading a horse towards Cacasenno, a simpleton who is being deceived by the woman. Crespi's use of etching allowed him to capture the humorous characters and details of the scene with great detail. The etching is a perfect example of Crespi's ability to portray the everyday lives of common people in a humorous and insightful way. It is now held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City."