About this artwork
Curator: This engraving, by Augustin de Saint-Aubin, captures the poignant moment when Don Quixote embraces Sancho Panza before he departs for the Island of Barataria. Editor: It’s a bittersweet image, isn't it? There's such formality to the setting, yet the embrace itself feels so tender and full of unspoken emotion. I wonder what's going through their minds? Curator: Well, the work itself would've been achieved through careful layering of etched lines, translating a complex narrative into a reproducible image for wider distribution. Think about the economics of printmaking at the time. Editor: Right. And seeing it now, I’m struck by the artist's delicate handling of the figures. The gestures feel charged with affection, even within such a constructed social scene. Curator: Exactly. Saint-Aubin was clearly a master of capturing social dynamics, using the print medium to circulate these tales. Editor: It makes you think about how stories travel, how they’re shaped by hands and machines, and how that changes their meaning. Food for thought!
Don Quixote embraces Sancho before the squire leaves for the Island of Barataria
1781
Artwork details
- Dimensions
- Image: 11.2 Ã 7.4 cm (4 7/16 Ã 2 15/16 in.) Sheet: 15.5 Ã 10.7 cm (6 1/8 Ã 4 3/16 in.)
- Location
- Harvard Art Museums
- Copyright
- CC0 1.0
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About this artwork
Curator: This engraving, by Augustin de Saint-Aubin, captures the poignant moment when Don Quixote embraces Sancho Panza before he departs for the Island of Barataria. Editor: It’s a bittersweet image, isn't it? There's such formality to the setting, yet the embrace itself feels so tender and full of unspoken emotion. I wonder what's going through their minds? Curator: Well, the work itself would've been achieved through careful layering of etched lines, translating a complex narrative into a reproducible image for wider distribution. Think about the economics of printmaking at the time. Editor: Right. And seeing it now, I’m struck by the artist's delicate handling of the figures. The gestures feel charged with affection, even within such a constructed social scene. Curator: Exactly. Saint-Aubin was clearly a master of capturing social dynamics, using the print medium to circulate these tales. Editor: It makes you think about how stories travel, how they’re shaped by hands and machines, and how that changes their meaning. Food for thought!
Comments
Share your thoughts