Don Quixote 

Gustave Doré produced this ink illustration of Cervantes’ Don Quixote in 19th-century France, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval. Doré's Quixote embodies a critique of societal norms. Cervantes' novel, popular since the 17th century, tells of a man who rejects the mundane reality around him in favor of a world of chivalry and adventure that exists only in books, but Doré's images invite the viewer to consider the social forces that cause someone to reject the world around them. His portrayal of the delusional, aging nobleman suggests an almost tragic figure railing against his own social obsolescence. To truly understand this image, we need to look at the history of art and illustration, the popular reception of Cervantes' novel, and the changing status of the aristocracy in 19th century France. The historian unearths these contexts, enriching our understanding of the politics of imagery.