Don Quixote and the Dead Mule
after 1864
Medium
Oil on wood
Dimensions
9 3/4 x 18 1/8 in. (24.8 x 46 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Collection, Wolfe Fund, 1909
Accession Number
09.198
Tags
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier’s *Don Quixote and the Dead Mule*, painted after 1864, captures a poignant moment from Miguel de Cervantes’ iconic novel. This small oil on wood panel (9 3/4 x 18 1/8 in.) depicts the delusional knight-errant alongside his loyal steed, Rocinante, and a fallen mule, evoking themes of adventure, mishap, and human folly. Daumier, a master of French Realism, infused the scene with his signature empathy for the underdog, portraying Don Quixote not as a caricature but as a tragicomic figure. Created late in Daumier’s career—he was nearly blind by then—this intimate work exemplifies h...
About the Artist
Honoré Daumier · 1810–1879
Honoré-Victorin Daumier (1808-1879) was a prolific French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor whose works offered incisive commentary on the social and political life of 19th-century France. Known as the 'Michelangelo of Caricature,' Daumier produced over 4,000 lithographs, 500 paintings, 1,000 drawings, and 100 sculptures during his lifetime. His biting political satire led to his imp...