Don Quichot overwint de Ridder van de Spiegels 1709 - 1767

Nicolas Charles de Silvestre created this print depicting Don Quixote's victory over the Knight of the Mirrors, capturing a pivotal moment in Cervantes' tale. Observe the fallen knight, a symbol of illusion and distorted reality. The mirror, historically a symbol of truth, here reflects a false image, challenging perceptions. This motif echoes through art history, from Jan van Eyck's "Arnolfini Portrait," where a mirror subtly reveals hidden perspectives, to more recent surrealist works where mirrors represent fractured identities. Consider the recurring theme of the "double," present in ancient myths and echoed in literature and art—a reflection of humanity's struggle with self-perception and the subconscious. The mirror is a profound symbol of the human psyche, reflecting our deepest fears and desires, capturing the eternal dance between reality and illusion. The vanquishing of the mirrored knight is a symbolic struggle against these distorted realities. The symbols of mirrors continue to reappear, evolving through history, in a continuous, cyclical progression.