A unique 1949 edition of Miguel de Cervantes' "Don Quijote de la Mancha," featuring 40 aquatints by renowned Peruvian artist Fernando de Szyszlo, has been proposed by collector Horacio Rico as a potential award to be bestowed by the Instituto Cervantes.
This distinguished edition, a significant cultural initiative from Peru's past, could be presented with the signature of King Felipe VI, symbolizing a connection between Spanish and Latin American artistic heritage. Rico's vision includes the possibility of the prize being signed by Princess Leonor and King Felipe VI, signifying royal endorsement of artistic and literary achievement.
The genesis of this remarkable "Don Quijote" dates back to 1947, when Peruvian journalist Aurelio Miró Quesada and linguist Luis Jaime Cisneros initiated a project to publish the classic work in Peru for the first time. They enlisted the talents of a then 23-year-old Fernando de Szyszlo, who would later become a pivotal figure in abstract art in Latin America. Szyszlo, known for his ability to blend indigenous Peruvian aesthetics with modernist sensibilities, meticulously crafted the illustrations over two years, working on steel plates with a burin. His work was inspired by contemporaries, with Mexican poet Octavio Paz influencing the depiction of Sancho Panza and Szyszlo's wife, Peruvian poet Blanca Varela, inspiring the portrayal of Dorotea.
Despite the initial vision in 1947, the publication faced delays, partly due to Szyszlo's extended stay in Paris with his wife. The completed copies remained largely unseen until their public presentation on August 17, 2025, at the Pancho Fierro Municipal Art Gallery in Lima. This luxury edition represents an opportunity to celebrate perseverance and the collaborative spirit inherent in cultural creation. The Instituto Cervantes, established in 1991, is a prestigious institution dedicated to promoting the Spanish language and culture worldwide, and awards the annual Cervantes Prize, the most significant literary award in the Spanish language.
Fernando de Szyszlo, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 92, was recognized as one of the most important Latin American artists of the 20th century, celebrated for his unique artistic language that fused abstraction with pre-Columbian Peruvian culture.