Don Quixote

The main character of the famous novel by Miguel de Cervantes has long become a kind of archetype, to which artists, directors, composers, filmmakers, and psychologists have repeatedly appealed. In a way, Don Quixote's brother-in-arms is Prince Myshkin, for only by being a little out of his mind can one single-handedly charge at the windmills of worldly evil and injustice. Originally, "Don Quixote" was conceived as a parody of chivalric romances, but the literary genius of Cervantes elevated this work to an unprecedented height, where laughter at the adventures of the amusing hidalgo turns into a bitter smile at the eternal human vices. The author of "Don Quixote" himself resembled his famous literary hero to some extent. One biographer of Cervantes described him as a whimsical man, a dreamy poet, who lacked practical smarts and the ability to profit from his works. He was in love with all that is beautiful, generous and noble. Cervantes' life, as one of seven children of a impoverished nobleman, was full of harsh deprivations and hardships. However, despite numerous trials and dire financial circumstances, he continued to write. Cervantes never let go of his pen literally until the hour of his death. This was his literary feat. In our time, his name is recorded in golden letters in the history of not only European but also world literature.

In this edition, the famous satirical novel by Cervantes is illustrated with watercolors by the Spanish artist Salvador Tusell, who lived and worked at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Tusell created his drawings based on engravings by Gustave Doré (1832–1883), who became one of the most outstanding masters of book illustration in the 19th century. Doré made illustrations for "Don Quixote" in 1863. By that time, he was already at the peak of his fame. The innate talent of the draftsman was honed in the halls of the Louvre and the National Library - he copied the works of recognized masters, studied their techniques and styles. Doré began drawing at the age of five; in school, his notebooks were filled with drawings and caricatures. Gustave was only fifteen when the first album of his lithographs - "The Labors of Hercules" - was published. Thanks to his skillful depiction of light and shadow, Doré's works are instantly recognizable. In his lifetime, the artist managed to illustrate dozens of books, including the famous poem by Dante, the Bible, fairy tales by Charles Perrault, the adventures of Baron Munchausen, and other famous works. Critics rightly rank Doré among the greatest illustrators of the 19th century.