Honoré Daumier, the French artist, created an oil on canvas painting called “Don Quixote and Sancho Panza” around 1866-1868. The artwork is small in size and appears unfinished as it resembles a sketch. Daumier had a particular interest in the story of Don Quixote and painted several versions of this theme throughout his career.
Despite being highly regarded today, Daumier received little critical attention for his paintings during his lifetime. This painting depicts the Spanish literary characters, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. The two figures are seen walking side by side with Sancho Panza holding a lantern high above his head while looking apprehensively at something ahead of them.
The painting was lost for many years until it appeared as part of the Munich art hoard in 2012 before being returned to its rightful heirs’ custody. Overall, the piece is representative of Daumier’s artistic interests concerning literature and storytelling themes, as well as exemplifying his unique style that combines satire with social commentary.
