French school; XVIII century.

French school; XVIII century.
"Scenes from Don Quixote".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Measurements: 43 x 61,5 cm; 48,5 x 68 cm (frame).
This pictorial set of the 18th century, made by an anonymous artist of the French school, illustrates different episodes of Don Quixote de la Mancha, the masterpiece of Miguel de Cervantes published in the early 17th century. Two centuries after its appearance, the novel continued to fascinate readers and artists throughout Europe, especially in France, where it was read as both humorous satire and moral reflection.
The painter does not seek literal fidelity to the text, but rather translates the spirit of the work into images, emphasizing movement, emotion and the contrast between the heroic and the everyday. The wooded landscapes, the ruins and the nocturnal interiors serve as symbolic settings where the idealistic madness of the protagonist unfolds.
Stylistically, the paintings combine elements of the late Baroque, such as dramatic poses and play of light, with a lighter, narrative sensibility of the Rococo, much appreciated in 18th-century France. The warm colors, exaggerated gestures and clear composition facilitate the visual reading of each episode, almost as if it were a large-format illustrated novel.
These works also reflect the enlightened taste of the time for literature, morality and cultured entertainment. Don Quixote appears not only as a comic character, but as a universal symbol of idealism, imagination and the clash between dreams and reality.
Overall, Scenes from Don Quixote is an excellent example of how eighteenth-century European painting dialogues with literature, transforming a fundamental text into a rich, dynamic and deeply human visual experience.