Sancho Panza wordt door Don Quichotte tot ridder geslagen 1716 - 1761

Pieter Tanjé created this engraving, "Sancho Panza wordt door Don Quichotte tot ridder geslagen," which translates to "Sancho Panza is Knighted by Don Quixote," sometime between 1706 and 1761. Here we see a scene of social inversion, where the peasant Sancho Panza is awkwardly knighted by the delusional Don Quixote. Tanjé captures the burlesque nature of the event, the setting is a humble stable and the scene is filled with discomfort and slapstick humor. The visual narrative underscores the disruption of traditional hierarchies, touching on themes of class and identity during the 18th century. This piece offers an emotional tableau of aspiration clashing with reality. Tanjé invites us to consider the implications of disrupting societal norms and the personal cost of tilting at windmills.