Don Quixote 

Gustave Doré created this image of Don Quixote, in the 19th century, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval across Europe. Doré’s illustration captures a scene rife with satire, reflecting the cultural values and anxieties of his time. The upper panel shows a ‘Merlin’s car’ populated by musicians and specters. The lower panel shows Countess Trifaldi attended by her bearded duennas, each figure veiled yet distinct in their expressions, suggesting the complex interplay between appearance and identity. These characters, drawn from Cervantes' novel, are not just figures in a story; they embody the tensions between reality and illusion, sanity and madness. Doré’s work, like Cervantes’ original text, invites us to question the nature of truth, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. It encourages a critical examination of societal roles and expectations. It reminds us that beneath the surface of every narrative lies a complex web of human experience, challenging us to look closer and question the world around us.