‘The Barber Reclaiming his Basin from Don Quixote’ by Francis Hayman, about 1765-1770. This oil on canvas depicts Don Quixote attempting to convince the frustrated Barber that his basin is Mambrino’s helmet: an impoverished man stands with his arms outstretched, eyes looking skyward. Another man in fine clothes - plumed hat, plush cape and pale blue suit holds the basin/hat. Another man holding a spear and wearing armour prevents a portly man from moving forward. The group of four onlookers includes a priest and someone holding a letter. This scene is taken from the Spanish novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes from 1605. This painting in particular was based on an earlier composition engraved by Hayman and Gravelot for the first edition of Tobias Smollett’s English translation of Don Quixote from 1755.
Francis Hayman (1708-1776) was an English artist, known for being one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768. Hayman played to the French Rococo style, and depicted literary scenes.
