A Singer with a Donkey

Giuseppe Maria Crespi 1665 - 1747

Summary

The subject of this painting is problematical. The principal figure is holding a sheet of music in her left hand and possibly a lit taper in her right. She is leaning over a braying ass, the pair surrounded by pigs. The subject may be Circe, who was famous for turning men into animals. It may be intended to depict a scene from Italian opera. Also known as 'Lo Spagnuolo' (The Spaniard) because of his penchant for Spanish fashions, Crespi studied in Bologna, enjoying the patronage of the wealthy merchant and amateur painter, Giovanni Ricci. Crespi was especially influenced by the Carracci's scenes of everyday life and began to paint peasant subjects following a visit to Florence in 1709.