Illustration to Cervantes, "Don Quixote" 1940

This is Imre Reiner’s illustration to Cervantes’s “Don Quixote,” made using some kind of printmaking technique, judging by the even pressure and fine lines. The process is direct: each mark feels considered, revealing the artist’s hand as it navigates the absurd world of Cervantes. The texture of the paper adds a tactile dimension. Look at the way Reiner uses line to define the characters—Quixote, Sancho Panza, and Rocinante—each rendered with an economy of detail that speaks volumes. Take Quixote’s face: the eye is wide, the mouth slightly agape, conveying a sense of dreamy delusion. It's like Reiner is suggesting that Quixote's reality is as fragile as the lines that compose it. I’m reminded of Picasso’s quick, gestural drawings. Both artists share a knack for capturing the essence of a subject with just a few strokes. Art's not about answers but about the questions it lets us ask.