Don quixote personifying spain, mounted on a dejected rozinante, sits erect on his saddle, addressing sancho (holland) astride on a small ass. They are on the edge of a cliff by the sea. On the neck of the don's horse stands a small monkey (france) dressed like a frenchman with a long pigtail queue; he holds the slack reins with his left hand while he points with his sword towards a castle in the sky in a circle inset in a crescent moon which is inscribed "gibraltar". He says, "sa - sa - ah - ha! dere i was have dem! & dere! ah - ha!" don quixote, who wears mambrino's helmet with a feather in it, a cloak, slashed doublet and breeches, and top-boots with large spurs, has an expression of melancholy dignity; he says, "sancho! we'll sit down before the castle & starve them out; sancho. " sancho wears a hat like an inverted flower-pot with a short pipe stuck through its band; he says with an expression of dismay, "starve them out. O lord! o lord! we're like to be starv'd ourselves first! ther's not a mouthful left in the wallet, & i'm grown as thin as a shotten herring". He is far too large and heavy for the small ass which grazes the sparse plants at its feet. Beneath the title is engraved "a new adventure, not mentioned by cervantes". 22 august 1782
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1782. Dimensions: Height: 254 mm; Width: 351 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. The castle in the moon. (BM 1851,0901.94)
Loading...