Critical Images

Rachel Schmidt's exploration of the impact of illustrations of the text on the literary reception of Don Quixote analyses both Spanish and English illustrated editions, including those by Jose del Castillo, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes. William Hogarth, John Vanderbank, and Francis Hayman.

She explores several iconographic traditions represented in the illustrations - the burlesque, the satirical, and the sentimental - demonstrating the intriguing variety of historical readings that surround interpretations of Don Quixote. Schmidt's analysis also illuminates canon formation, visual semiotics, and the impact of visual media on public opinion.