De onechte prinses van Micomicon vraagt Don Quichot haar weer op de troon te zetten 1691 - 1767

Louis Surugue created this print, "The False Princess of Micomicon Asks Don Quixote to Restore Her to the Throne," using etching. The composition presents a theatrical tableau, where the figures are carefully arranged to convey a sense of drama and narrative. The stark contrast between light and shadow etches deep lines, enhancing the emotional intensity of the scene. The artwork functions as a semiotic system. Don Quixote, in shining armor, becomes a signifier of outdated chivalry, while the kneeling princess embodies deceit. The landscape itself – a blend of natural and artificial elements - is a stage setting for the unfolding drama. Surugue employs linear perspective to draw our eyes to a distant waterfall, creating depth. Yet this depth feels illusory, mirroring the deception at play. Note the figures lurking behind the tree. They challenge a straightforward reading of the scene, suggesting multiple layers of meaning. The artwork prompts us to question fixed categories of truth and falsehood.