Aesthetics
Don Quixote
Behind the Scenes
This piece was sculpted as a wedding present for one of my oldest friends. I sculpted it directly in wax for a one-of-its-kind bronze casting. The oversized hands and boots are symbolic of the big shoes our antihero is trying to fill and the suffering he has undergone on his journey. My friend’s wife was holding the piece while riding the elevator down to the lobby of their high-rise apartment—they were moving out of the city at the time—when a lady riding along asked her if it was an Academy Award.
“Sort of,” she answered.
Bless her… and that nearsighted neighbor.
Don Quixote
Don Quixote is a Spanish epic by Miguel de Cervantes which was originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615. Considered a foundational piece of western literature, many scholars judge it to be the first modern novel and one of the greatest works ever written. It’s also one of the most-translated books in the world and one of the best-selling novels of all time.
The plot revolves around the adventures of a member of the lowest nobility, an hidalgo (lower-ranking gentry, generally untitled, who occupied the lower stratum of the nobility but were exempted from paying taxes) from La Mancha named Alonso Quijano, who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his mind and decides to become a knight-errant to revive chivalry and serve his nation, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha.
The book had a major influence on the literary community and European culture, even gifting us the word “quixotic” (adjective, meaning exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical).
Kind of like setting out to be a traditional sculptor in the 21st century…
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Please note, all Manifest Sculpt work is completed with traditional sculpting techniques—modelling and carving—rather than through modern digital techniques and programs. Consequently, the resin and bronze castings in this edition were also produced through traditional mold making and manufacturing processes. Final Manifest Sculpt commissions are available in a variety of materials, but they are not 3D printed and are not available as printable files. Copyright Notice: all work, including ideation, concepts, stories and their development, character design and production are the property of Carlos Soca unless otherwise noted, and all rights are reserved. Should you wish to discuss collaboration or licensing of an intellectual property or its design, please contact Manifest Sculpt.