THIS OBJECT WAS SOLD
Manuel Ortiz De Zarate (1884-1946) Don Quixote 1925 School Of Paris
This composition depicts the two protagonists of Miguel de Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote of La Mancha: the wandering knight and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza. True to his expressive style, Manuel Ortiz de Zárate contrasts here the two figures’ silhouettes: on the left, Sancho Panza, firmly seated on his donkey, rendered in warm tones of ochre, red, and brown, emphasizing his earthy, good-natured character; on the right, Don Quixote, slender and upright, mounted on a white horse, painted in cooler, more subdued tones, embodying idealism and asceticism.
The background landscape, reduced to colored masses suggesting mountains and plains, opens the scene to the light of La Mancha, enhancing the epic and timeless quality of the subject. The brushwork is free and energetic, with visible impasto and a simplified form recalling the influence of the Parisian avant-garde—particularly post-Cubism and Expressionism—which the artist embraced from the 1910s onward.
Manuel Ortiz de Zárate, a Chilean-born painter and illustrator, arrived in Paris in 1902 and quickly joined the Montparnasse circle, mingling with Picasso, Modigliani, Juan Gris, and Foujita. He took part in numerous group exhibitions and developed a personal style blending formal synthesis with colorful expressiveness. This painting belongs to his tradition of works illustrating literary and popular themes, where the humanity of the characters takes precedence over narrative detail.
The work is an oil on cardboard, in fairly good condition (some scratches and small losses to note). The upper left corner is creased.
It is signed and dated on the back: “Ortiz 1925 Don Quichotte.”
Sold with its gilded wooden frame.
Dimensions without frame: 24 × 19 cm
Dimensions with frame: 30.5 × 25.5 cm
Manuel Ortiz de Zárate (1887–1946)
Manuel Ortiz de Zárate was a Chilean painter who became one of the leading figures of the École de Paris. Born into a cultured family, he showed artistic talent from an early age and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Santiago. In 1902, at just fifteen, he clandestinely boarded a ship bound for Europe, driven by the desire to train with the greatest masters.
Settling in Paris in 1904, he attended the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and quickly integrated into the vibrant artistic scene of Montparnasse. He formed close ties with Picasso, Juan Gris, Amedeo Modigliani (who created a famous portrait of him), and Foujita. Influenced by Post-Impressionism, Cubism, and the synthetic trends of the early 20th century, he developed a personal style where simplified form, solid construction, and colorful expressiveness played a central role.
Ortiz de Zárate exhibited regularly at the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Indépendants, while also participating in various international exhibitions. He was also interested in illustration and often explored literary, mythological, or popular subjects, expressed in a purified yet vibrant painting style.
Photographs taken in natural light.
Carefully packaged.
Shipping costs to be borne by the buyer.
I remain at your disposal for any further information or additional photos.
The background landscape, reduced to colored masses suggesting mountains and plains, opens the scene to the light of La Mancha, enhancing the epic and timeless quality of the subject. The brushwork is free and energetic, with visible impasto and a simplified form recalling the influence of the Parisian avant-garde—particularly post-Cubism and Expressionism—which the artist embraced from the 1910s onward.
Manuel Ortiz de Zárate, a Chilean-born painter and illustrator, arrived in Paris in 1902 and quickly joined the Montparnasse circle, mingling with Picasso, Modigliani, Juan Gris, and Foujita. He took part in numerous group exhibitions and developed a personal style blending formal synthesis with colorful expressiveness. This painting belongs to his tradition of works illustrating literary and popular themes, where the humanity of the characters takes precedence over narrative detail.
The work is an oil on cardboard, in fairly good condition (some scratches and small losses to note). The upper left corner is creased.
It is signed and dated on the back: “Ortiz 1925 Don Quichotte.”
Sold with its gilded wooden frame.
Dimensions without frame: 24 × 19 cm
Dimensions with frame: 30.5 × 25.5 cm
Manuel Ortiz de Zárate (1887–1946)
Manuel Ortiz de Zárate was a Chilean painter who became one of the leading figures of the École de Paris. Born into a cultured family, he showed artistic talent from an early age and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Santiago. In 1902, at just fifteen, he clandestinely boarded a ship bound for Europe, driven by the desire to train with the greatest masters.
Settling in Paris in 1904, he attended the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and quickly integrated into the vibrant artistic scene of Montparnasse. He formed close ties with Picasso, Juan Gris, Amedeo Modigliani (who created a famous portrait of him), and Foujita. Influenced by Post-Impressionism, Cubism, and the synthetic trends of the early 20th century, he developed a personal style where simplified form, solid construction, and colorful expressiveness played a central role.
Ortiz de Zárate exhibited regularly at the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Indépendants, while also participating in various international exhibitions. He was also interested in illustration and often explored literary, mythological, or popular subjects, expressed in a purified yet vibrant painting style.
Photographs taken in natural light.
Carefully packaged.
Shipping costs to be borne by the buyer.
I remain at your disposal for any further information or additional photos.
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