Illustration to Cervantes, "Don Quixote"
in or before 1941
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
wood engraving [trial proof]
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1950.17.421
Art Historical Context
Imre Reiner's *Illustration to Cervantes, "Don Quixote captures the whimsical spirit of Miguel de Cervantes' timeless 17th-century novel, which follows the delusional knight-errant Don Quix and his loyal squire Sancho Panza on their misadventures. Created in or before 194, this print reflects the enduring cultural fascination with the story, a satirical masterpiece that has inspired countless artists across centuries for its blend of humor, idealism, and human folly. Executed as a wood engraving—a meticulous intaglio technique where fine lines are incised into the end grain of wood blocks—thi...
About the Artist
Imre Reiner
**Imre Reiner** (1900–1987) was a Hungarian-born Swiss painter, graphic artist, typographer, and master illustrator whose multifaceted career bridged sculpture, experimental typography, and exquisite wood engravings. Born on August 18, 1900, in Versec (now Vršac, Serbia) to a Jewish family—his father a sculptor and stone carver who apprenticed him young—Reiner began formal studies at age 15 in scu...