Don Quijote y Sancho Panza 

José Pedro Costigliolo created this vibrantly colored painting of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza with geometric forms and a clear engagement with abstraction. Costigliolo was associated with the Constructivist art movement in Uruguay, which sought to integrate art with modern life and believed in the power of art to shape society. Here, Costigliolo revisits Miguel de Cervantes's 17th-century novel "Don Quixote," a foundational text in Spanish literature that follows the adventures of a noble who sets out to revive chivalry, and his peasant squire Sancho Panza. While the source material is traditionally representational, Costigliolo abstracts the figures. He uses bold colors to differentiate the figures and give a sense of their personalities and relationship. Don Quijote is depicted in cool blues, poised and idealistic, while Sancho Panza is rendered in earthy reds and grounded in his reality. This abstraction invites viewers to consider how classic narratives can be reinterpreted through modern lenses, offering new perspectives on identity, class, and the enduring quest for ideals.