Don Quichot en Sancho Panza vechten op een houten paard 1732 - 1733

This engraving by Bernard Picart depicts Don Quixote and Sancho Panza on a mock-horse, surrounded by amused onlookers. The horse, a crude parody of noble steeds, is central, linking to ancient symbols of power, journey, and transformation. Consider the Trojan Horse, a symbol of cunning and deception, or the horses of the Apocalypse, harbingers of chaos. Here, the wooden horse is rendered farcical, and the act of riding becomes absurd, highlighting the disconnect between Quixote’s idealism and reality. It reminds me of similar motifs found in carnival celebrations where animals are mocked to turn chaos into fun. Yet beneath the laughter, a serious undercurrent persists, suggesting a deeper, more complex understanding of the hero’s delusions. It reflects collective anxieties about ambition and the human tendency to construct grandiose narratives. Through ridicule, viewers are invited to confront the absurdity of their own fantasies.