Don Quijote und Sancho Pansa 1729

Curator: Here we have "Don Quijote und Sancho Pansa" from 1729, an ink and pen drawing by John Vanderbank, housed here at the Städel Museum. What strikes you immediately? Editor: The lean, frantic lines! The contrast between the tall, spindly Don Quixote and the squat, almost comically solid Sancho Panza. There’s an undeniable energy to it. Curator: It's interesting to see how Vanderbank uses these stark visual differences to represent the class divisions of the time. Don Quixote, despite his delusions of grandeur, is portrayed with a certain aristocratic flair, while Sancho embodies the grounded, almost caricatured commoner. Editor: Exactly! The elongated limbs, the elegant but impractical attire of Don Quixote are cleverly juxtaposed with Sancho's earthbound solidity. Look at the cross-hatching, creating volume but also a sense of weight, rootedness, particularly around Sancho. It makes him feel heavy, both physically and symbolically. Curator: It speaks volumes about the audience of the time and the social context in which Vanderbank was working. Genre painting like this became increasingly popular. They provided commentary, often satirical, on societal norms and class structures. Editor: Do you think the stark contrast in form serves to undermine Quixote’s heroic pose? Almost turning him into a farcical figure? Curator: It's hard to say definitively, but Vanderbank, given the prevailing attitudes toward aristocracy and emerging merchant classes, may well have been subtly critiquing Quixote’s perceived idealism. Perhaps also the concept of antiquated values? Editor: The swift, confident strokes really convey that sense of quick, spontaneous wit. Despite its historical context, the underlying humour in the image really shines through. It makes the image engaging, relatable even to contemporary viewers. Curator: It does. A work that still manages to spark conversation centuries after its creation. I am impressed by the continued resonance of the image! Editor: A sharp reminder to question how the past continues to look relevant today!