Don Quixote Releases the Galley Slaves (Six Illustrations for Don Quixote)

Don Quixote Releases the Galley Slaves (Six Illustrations for Don Quixote) is a dynamic print executed by William Hogarth in 1756. This specific impression represents the third and final state of the etching and engraving process, demonstrating the highest level of detail achieved by the artist in this series. Hogarth created these six illustrations based on Miguel de Cervantes’s iconic novel, chronicling the adventures of the idealistic knight Don Quixote. The scene depicts a critical moment where Quixote, motivated by a misguided sense of justice, confronts authorities to free a group of chained criminals.

The composition is characteristically lively, focusing on the chaos erupting around the central figure of Quixote. Hogarth skillfully uses the dramatic contrasts achievable through the combined mediums of etching and engraving to capture the volatile situation, illustrating the central conflict between reality and fantasy. The scene features various figures, including Men in the garb of both prisoners and guards, struggling or fleeing. Prominently featured are the knight and his squire, alongside the Horses that contribute to the sense of immediate physical conflict. Hogarth’s interpretation of the Don Quixote narrative often leans into the satirical potential of the novel, showcasing the absurdity of the knight’s chivalric ideals in a grounded, 18th-century context.

As a significant example of 18th-century British printmaking, this work highlights the artist’s commercial strategy of mass-producing affordable prints for a wide audience. Classified as a standalone print, the work emphasizes its value as collectible art rather than just an illustration bound within a book. This specific impression is housed in the renowned collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to its historical significance and age, this crucial print is frequently found in the public domain, allowing institutions worldwide to provide high-quality digital access to Hogarth's influential work.