A Bolognese Original: The Life and Art of Giuseppe Maria Crespi Giuseppe Maria Crespi, affectionately known as “Lo Spagnuolo” – the Spaniard – was a captivating anomaly within the Italian Baroque landscape. Born in Bologna in 1665, his nickname stemmed not from ancestry but from a penchant for the tightly fitted clothing fashionable in Spain at the time, a sartorial choice that hinted at the independent spirit simmering beneath the surface of this remarkable artist. Crespi’s journey began with a traditional apprenticeship, first under Angelo Michele Toni and then Domenico Maria Canuti, absor…