Reading Nobleman

Country: Spain

Manufactory: Lladro

Date of establishment: 2008

Sculptor: Juan Huerta

Size (cm): 43*26

Porcelain Story

 Born on 29th September 1547 in Alcapa de Henares, Spain, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is called the "Knight of the Golden Age" for a reason. His whole life was full of such severe tests, that any other would be fit to surrender, humble themselves, to yield to difficult circumstances. But he continued to fight, coming out the winner of the incredible turmoil and showing everyone: to achieve something is capable only of those who do not lose heart, always goes all the way ...

Cervantes was the fourth child in a family of impoverished nobleman, who brought up eight children and because of the perpetual problems constantly in search of a better life moved from one city to another. For 24-year-old Miguel, enlisted in the army, the prospect of a tour of duty was as much about romance as it was about making extra money to devote to literature, a passion he had developed since an early age. However, not everything worked out the way he had hoped at first. In the sea battle of Lepanto in 1571 a brave warrior Cervantes was wounded three times (by the way, since then his left arm has remained forever immobile). And during the return home from Italy galley under the beautiful name of "Sun", which was Cervantes, was captured by corsairs and sold with all those on board, into slavery in Algeria. The young beauty, who had with him several letters of recommendation to the Spanish king, was considered a very important person, and asked for it, exorbitant at that time, a ransom of 500 gold escudos! For three long years his family had to raise the money to finally free Miguel from captivity in Algeria.

He started writing early. And literary fame came to him surprisingly quickly. By publishing in Madrid, the first part of his novel "The ingenious hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha," Cervantes and did not have time to notice how the circulation of the book exploded not only throughout Spain, but also beyond its borders. He wrote prolifically and inspirationally. For the poem "Journey to Parnassus" and the novel "Persiles and Sigismund" appears the second part of "Don Quixote". Personal life has become a famous writer and has not developed, which is why all of himself devoted to the gruelling creative work. His fans are thousands of readers, and among them quite a few nobles. They say that once, resting on a balcony, King Philip III of Spain drew attention to a student reading a book under a tree and pouring with loud laughter. "I bet," exclaimed the king, "he's reading Don Quixote. The courtiers, who had rushed to check the king's conjecture, returned, confirming: indeed, it was Cervantes' famous book!

He died in poverty and was buried on donations collected by the Brotherhood of the Laity. Where would he have known that many years later his Don Quijote would be recognised as one of the most popular books in the world and that a monument erected in his honour in Madrid would bear the words: 'To Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, King of the Spanish Poets...'. We have dozens of unique pieces of porcelain dedicated to Cervantes' literary heroes. This piece is one of my favourites.