Stencil for Illustrated Don Quixote (Ehon Don Kihōte) Possibly 1936

Curator: Here we have Serizawa Keisuke's "Stencil for Illustrated Don Quixote," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's such a bold, dramatic piece. Editor: It feels almost theatrical, doesn't it? The stark black and white really throws the figures into sharp relief. Curator: Precisely. I imagine Serizawa saw Don Quixote as this larger-than-life figure, full of contrasts, dreams, and delusions. This stencil embodies that dichotomy beautifully. Editor: The composition is quite striking, too. The parallel lines create a sense of both confinement and depth, like we're peering into different stages of Quixote's adventures simultaneously. Almost like film stills. Curator: Yes, and there is something almost playful in the way the figures are rendered; these aren't portraits but almost cartoon-like representations of the characters. Editor: This piece really resonates with the essence of Quixote—a blend of the real and the imagined, filtered through a unique cultural lens. Curator: In short, this stencil reveals so much about storytelling, doesn't it? Editor: Indeed, a wonderful piece to unravel.