Don Quixote 

Here, Gustave Doré captures Don Quixote's descent into the Cave of Montesinos. The air buzzes with a dense swarm of bats and ravens, their presence more than mere backdrop. They are symbols. Since antiquity, bats have been associated with the underworld, their nocturnal habits linking them to the realm of dreams, secrets, and the hidden self. Similarly, ravens, often harbingers of ill omen, have been linked with dark omens and messages from the subconscious. Consider Goya’s use of bats in his "Caprichos", which are representations of ignorance and superstition. Here, the flock of bats and ravens hints at the hero's descent into a world of illusion, where the boundaries between reality and delusion blur. This imagery taps into a deep, primal fear, resonating with our collective anxieties about the unknown. In this cyclical dance of symbols, Doré reminds us that the images of our fears resurface, evolving through the ages, carrying new meanings.