The First Piece
Don Quixote by OURO Artesania, 1956 #1021/A Artist Unknown
In 1956 my father gave me a small wood sculpture of Don Quixote. Only 8 “ tall, plus or minus, it was a delicate piece depicting a bold stance of a very thin, tall old man. Very light in weight and pale in color, it was stained with light orange, yellow and tan.
Face in profile detail
God was in the details. His face was angular with a receding hairline, a Roman nose, a generous unkempt beard and tight defiant lips pouting out from restraint and attention.
His armor was smooth and polished, well articulated. His elbows and knees were narrow and sharp. He held a long broad bladed sword thin enough to bend from ground to quillion. The guard was a generous bowl of gold and silver inlays on the ricasso. It was obviously from Toledo, The finest steel. Sharp and deadly.
Back of legs detail
His lower legs were like sticks with well defined calves yet his leggings sagged. The loose stockings were created by amazingly deft strokes from the sculptor’s knife.
Above all, was his balanced arched body standing at attention; a perfect center of gravity. The body proportions were accurate to the morphology of an extremely skinny man.
What an amazing piece! I still discover more surprises even after 71 years.
The sculpture is with me today 71 years later.
Front face detail
Three quarters face detail
Feet detail
Festival Madrid stamp
OURO stamp
Full side view