This intimate painting reimagines Don Kichot’s mythic journey, blending realism with a surreal, fairy-tale twist. The muted tones of the backdrop, interspersed with faint city-like ruins, symbolize the tension between vivid fantasy and rationality, idealistic pursuits, and modern urbanism. Don Quixote, a timeless symbol of fighting for values and visions, becomes Podgórski’s hero in this scene, representing the struggle to preserve ideals in an increasingly disenchanted world.

The ruins in the distance are ambiguous—they could signify a world falling apart or a challenge that Don Kichot is marching toward, ready to fight for the creation of something new. This fairy-tale-like portrayal reflects Podgórski’s belief in the transformative power of the “Don Kichot approach.” To embrace Quixotic ideals, even when labeled as foolish or irrational, is to embody the courage to fight for ideas and hope for change. The painting becomes a poetic call to action, urging us to reconsider the strength in dreaming boldly and striving for a better future, no matter how improbable it may seem.

Malwina Łuczyńska