Don Quixote 

Gustave Doré created this engraving of Don Quixote, placing us within the heart of Sierra Morena. It draws us into a Spain shaped by the echoes of its colonial past. Doré, working in 19th-century France, taps into the cultural fascination with Spanish romanticism, yet he also captures a nuanced dynamic between the iconic knight and his squire. The image presents a vision of masculinity that both upholds and questions the ideals of chivalry. Quixote, mounted and armed, embodies the traditional heroic figure, while Sancho Panza, on foot, represents the marginalized common man. The image is heavy with melancholy, as the figures traverse a landscape rife with shadows and uncertainty. The stark contrast between light and dark enhances the emotional tension. This scene pushes us to consider how the narratives of heroism and adventure often obscure the realities of those who remain unseen.