Don Quichot vernietigt een poppenkast met marionetten by François II de Poilly

Don Quichot vernietigt een poppenkast met marionetten c. 1723

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print, etching, engraving

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narrative-art

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baroque

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print

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etching

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figuration

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line

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history-painting

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engraving

Dimensions: height 298 mm, width 295 mm

Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Editor: Here we have François II de Poilly's engraving, "Don Quichot vernietigt een poppenkast met marionetten," from around 1723. The detail achieved through etching is remarkable. The chaos of the scene makes me wonder, how should we read into this destruction? Curator: That's a great entry point. Look closely – it’s not just random destruction. This work embodies the socio-political context of its time. De Poilly uses Don Quixote, a figure blinded by idealism, to critique those in power who, like Quixote, are tilting at windmills. What "windmills" do you think the artist is targeting here? Editor: Perhaps the aristocracy's outdated ideals or the church? Curator: Precisely! Notice the audience's reaction; they're not fearful, but amused. This reveals the public's growing skepticism towards established authority. De Poilly places Quixote as a figure of ridicule, embodying outdated notions of chivalry in a world rapidly changing through the Enlightenment. This intersects with questions about who defines "reality" and whose perspectives are valued. Editor: So, it’s not simply a funny scene but a commentary on shifting social dynamics. It almost feels like a call for change. Curator: It is! Through Don Quixote's misguided "heroism," de Poilly encourages the viewers to question their own perceptions of truth and power. Are we, too, attacking shadows while real injustices persist? This invites the viewer to dismantle societal structures and reimagine new ones. Editor: I didn't catch all that initially. It’s a powerful message masked as comedy. I see it as a way to subvert power by inviting us to question it, Curator: Exactly. And art becomes the stage for these conversations.

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