Bubblegum, 121 bytes

0000000: 4d 88 41 0a c3 30 0c c0 ee 7e 85 e8 c5 2b 24 ce  M.A..0...~...+$.

0000010: bd 5d 7f 62 66 c3 d8 2f fa f8 25 a1 ac d3 49 12  .].bf../..%...I.

0000020: 93 62 9d 22 c3 b6 c9 53 a6 b6 97 2f 99 26 d3 0b  .b."...S.../.&..

0000030: 09 7c 7a f6 da 39 b9 d0 39 7a 7a 44 94 6a f0 5e  .|z..9..9zzD.j.^

0000040: 65 9f 07 70 40 ab de 03 bf 9c b0 23 5d 72 df ce  e..p@......#]r..

0000050: 2e 57 81 9e c3 80 88 91 a4 87 d9 71 64 d2 46 62  .W.........qd.Fb

0000060: 6a 11 61 55 6d 64 e3 87 0b 3c b4 56 9b d4 aa ab  j.aUmd...<.V....

0000070: 40 fb 1f 2e c0 72 8f e5 0b                       @....r...

Generated using one million iterations of zopfli.

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05AB1E, 161 160 159 bytes

“.x:

- `_',|=);/"(“•ζd`Õ)Åι9·D¸«Qƶ∊r¸r)!Δ†„e€NTвŠÊ~¡ζä|8b<ε66Úèò‘è>ïË°ĀuΔŠºqô₃?j,;Ú∊ΓмĆ˜8®‘9ô.ε:ž}ìð;üÕ›т„Þ¿¥ °åβêÅδ(Ž7¼’ζƶ¤u‚ðж½èн¶Y)•18вèJ'x„  :')"<^ec"S.;

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Explanation:

“.x:

- `_',|=);/"(“   "# Push string “.x:n- `_',|=);/"(“

 •ζd`Õ)Åι9·D¸«Qƶ∊r¸r)!Δ†„e€NTвŠÊ~¡ζä|8b<ε66Úèò‘è>ïË°ĀuΔŠºqô₃?j,;Ú∊ΓмĆ˜8®‘9ô.ε:ž}ìð;üÕ›т„Þ¿¥ °åβêÅδ(Ž7¼’ζƶ¤u‚ðж½èн¶Y)•

                      # Push compressed integer 1532509194139585460720091708988529417230251201435141848539215634452908064069037933952126795373218144903914399445860217134190447178041005939327862182902011890021922011111802137243520127270434546697795991176134771490926724967421961867359105461987058451420046014657947701790707048

  18в                 # Convert to Base-18 as list: [1,1,1,10,0,0,0,0,10,3,1,5,10,2,2,2,2,2,2,13,3,1,10,2,2,15,13,8,16,6,6,0,3,5,10,2,2,15,10,5,6,1,5,13,6,0,3,10,2,2,14,5,11,1,1,1,1,9,0,3,10,2,2,11,1,8,7,7,7,10,4,0,1,13,13,3,14,2,2,11,1,1,5,8,1,5,9,4,9,3,14,2,2,11,1,1,1,8,3,14,2,2,11,1,5,7,0,12,6,8,3,6,14,2,11,0,12,6,5,7,0,12,6,8,3,1,9,11,7,0,12,6,1,5,7,7,8,3,1,5,6,8,7,0,0,12,12,6,6,5,15,3,1,1,0,9,0,7,7,7,0,4,9,0,3,1,5,15,1,1,1,1,1,8,3,1,17,9,4,4,0,0,0,0,0,0,4,4,9,13,3,1,15,9,4,4,0,0,0,0,0,0,4,4,9,8,3,1,5,16,4,4,0,0,0,0,0,0,4,4,16]

     è                # Index each into the string

      J               # Join everything together

See this 05AB1E tips of mine (sections How to compress large integers? and How to compress integer lists?) to understand how the compression of the integer and integer-list is done.

We now have:

xxx,....,

x ,::::::)

x,::/)"``.

 ,::/, `x )`.

,::; |xxxx'.

,::|x___,-.x))

;::|xx x '-'

;::|xxx

;::|x _.=`

`;:|.=` _.=`

x'|_.=`x __

x `_..==`` /

xx.'.___.-'.

x /xxxxx

x('--......--')

x/'--......--'

x "--......--"

We then:

'x„  :       '# Replace every "x" with two spaces "  "

')"<^ec"S.;  '# And replace the first four ")" with "<", "^", "e", "c" respectively

              # (and the result is output implicitly)

Using the <^ec directly in the compression without the ')"<^ec"S.; is 1 byte longer, and using the double spaces instead of x directly in the compression is an additional 8 bytes longer.

Trying to replace --......-- for single characters in the compression is unfortunately 1 byte longer instead of saving bytes.

JavaScript (ES8), 236 bytes

_=>`6,....,

3,::::::<

2,::/^0"11.

 ,::/, 13e1.

,::; |8'.

,::|20___,-.2c)

;::|503'-'

;::|60

;::|3_.=10

1;:|.=1 _.=10

2'|_.=13__0

310_..==11 /

4.'.___.-'.

3/820

2('9')

2/'9'0

3"9"`.replace(/d/g,n=>n-9?'\`'[n]||''.padEnd(n):'--......--')

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Original ASCII art

Using the same method, the original ASCII art by Joan G. Stark is 248 bytes.

How?

We use a template string so that we can insert literal line-feeds. Unfortunately, the knight includes some backticks that would now need to be escaped. It also includes several backslashes.

Instead of escaping these characters, we replace them with a digit. Other digits are used to encode space patterns and the special string "--......--", which is used 3 times and worth encoding.

• 
  $0$ → backslash


• 
  $1$ → backtick


• 
  $9$ → the string "--......--"
  


• any other digit $N$ → $N$ spaces

Java (JDK), 273 bytes

v->"yyy,....,ny ,::::::<ny,::/^\"``.n ,::/, `y e`.n,::; |yyyy'.n,::|y\___,-.yc)n;::|yy \y '-'n;::|yyy\n;::|y _.=`\n`;:|.=` _.=`\ny'|_.=`y __\ny `\_..==`` /nyy.'.___.-'.n   /yyyyy\ny('x')ny/'x'\ny "x"".replace("x","--......--").replace("y","  ")

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How original! Thank you Java ;)

Credits

• -16 bytes thanks to Kevin Cruijssen
  

For a more elaborate version, please add lotsa bytes:

Java (JDK), 315 bytes

v->"BBBBBBGIIIIGABBBGKKKKKKMABBGKKJPOCRRIABGKKJGBRBBBTRIAGKKLBUBBBBBBBBDIAGKKUBBOQQQGHIBBSFALKKUBBBBBOBBBDHDALKKUBBBBBBOALKKUBBBQINROARLKUINRBQINROABBDUQINRBBBQQOABBBROQIINNRRBJABBBBIDIQQQIHDIABBBJBBBBBBBBBBOABBEDHHIIIIIIHHDFABBJDHHIIIIIIHHDOABBBCHHIIIIIIHHC".chars().map(c->"n "'(),-./:;<=\^_`ce|".charAt(c-65))

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Credits

• -13 bytes thanks to Holger
  

Brainfuck, 865 characters

Don't ask me why I did this

++++++++[>>++++>++++++>+++++++>+++++++++++++++>++++++>+++++++>++++++++++++>+++++

+++++++>++++>+[<]<-]>>++>---->++>++++>->++++>>-->>++<......[<]>>.++....--.[>]<.<

...[<]>>.>......>>>.>>>>.<..[<]>>.>..>>.>>>.--.[<]>.[>]<<<<..<<<<<++.[>]<.<.[<]>

>--.>..>>.<<<.[>]<<.<<.>>...<<+++++.-----<<<<<++.[>]<.[<]>>--.>..+.[>]<<.<<<<<.>

>>>>........[<]>+++++.>++.[>]<.[<]>>--.>-..>.>>>>>..<.+++...[<]>>.+.+.[>]<<..<<+

++.[<]>++.[>]<.[<]>>>+.-..>.>>>>>.....<---.>...[<]>--.>-.<.[>]<.[<]>>>+.-..>.>>>

>>......<.>>.[<]>>>+.-..>.>>>>>...<+++.[<]>>+.>>>>+.>---.>---.>>.<<<.<<<<+.-.>.<

<.>>>>.>.>>.<+++.[<]>>.>>>>.>.>---.>>.<..[<]>.>>>.>>>>+++.[<]>>.>>>>.>.>>...<..-

--.>>.<...<<.>.+++.[<]>>..>>>>..>..>>.<<<<.[>]<.<....[<]>>.<.>.>>>>>>...<<<<<<.-

.<.>+.[>]<.<...<<<<.>>>>.........<---.>>.<..[<]>+.-.>-..+......-..<.++.[>]<.<..<

<<<.<<<<--.>..+......-..<.[>]<<<.>>.<...[<]>-----.>..+......-..<.

with comments:

[      ,....,

   ,::::::<

  ,::/^"``.

 ,::/, `   e`.

,::; |        '.

,::|  ___,-.  c)

;::|        '-'

;::|      

;::|   _.=`

`;:|.=` _.=`

  '|_.=`   __

   `_..==`` /

    .'.___.-'.

   /          

  ('--......--')

  /'--......--'

   "--......--"

" 34 ' 39 ( 40 ) 41 c2

, 44 - 45 . 46      c3

: 58 ; 59           c4

| 124               c5

/ 47                c6

< 60 = 61           c7

` 96 c 99 e 101     c8

 92 ^ 94 _ 95      c9

space 30            c10

linefeed 10         c11

]



+++++ +++ c0: 8 loopcell

[

    >> ++++             c2 plus 4

    > +++++ +           c3 plus 6

    > +++++ ++          c4 plus 7

    > +++++ +++++ +++++ c5 plus 15

    > +++++ +           c6 plus 6

    > +++++ ++          c7 plus 7

    > +++++ +++++ ++    c8 plus 12

    > +++++ +++++ ++    c9 plus 12

    > ++++              c10 plus 4

    > +                 c11 plus 8

    [<]< -              back to c0 and decrement

]

>> ++  c2: 34

> ---- c3: 44

> ++   c4: 58

> ++++ c5: 124

> -    c6: 47

> ++++ c7: 60

>      c8: 96

> --   c9: 94

>      c10: 32

> ++   c11: 10



line 1

< ......             c10: 32

[<]>> . ++ .... -- . c3: 44

[>]< .               newline



line 2

< ...    c10 : 32

[<]>> .  c3: 44

> ...... c4: 58

>>> .    c7: 60

>>>> .   newline



line 3

< ..       c10 : 32

[<]>> .    c3: 44

> ..       c4: 58

>> .       c6: 47

>>> . -- . c9: 92

[<]> .     c2: 34

[>]<<<< .. c8: 96

<<<<< ++ . c3: 46

[>]< .     newline



line 4

<  . c10: 32

[<]>> -- .         c3: 4

> ..               c4: 58

>> .               c6: 47

<<< .              c3 46

[>]<< .            c10: 32

<< .               c8: 96

>> ...             c10: 32

<< +++++ . ----- . c8: 96

<<<<< ++ .         c3: 46

[>]< .             newline



Line 5

[<]>> -- .      c3: 44

> .. + .        c4: 59

[>]<< .         c10: 32

<<<<< .         c5: 124

>>>>> ..... ... c10: 32

[<]> +++++ .    c2: 39

> ++ .          c3: 46

[>]< .          newline



line 6

[<]>> -- .      c3: 44

> - ..          c4: 58

> .             c5: 124

>>>>> ..        c10: 32

< . +++ ...     c9: 95

[<]>> . + . + . c3: 46

[>]<< ..        c10: 32

<< +++ .        c8: 99

[<]> ++ .       c2: 41

[>]< .          newline



Line 7

[<]>>> + . - .. c4: 58

> .             c5: 124

>>>>> .....     c10: 32

< --- .         c9: 92

> ...           c10: 32

[<]> -- .       c2: 39

> - .           c3: 46

< .             c2: 39

[>]< .          newline



Line 8

[<]>>> + . - .. c4: 58

> .             c5: 124

>>>>> ......    c10: 32

< .             c9: 92

>> .            new line



Line 9

[<]>>> + . - .. c4: 58

> .             c5: 124

>>>>> ...       c10: 32

< +++ .         c9: 95

[<]>> + .       c3: 46

>>>> + .        c7: 61

> --- .         c8: 96

> --- .         c9: 92

>> .            newline



Line 10

<<< .         c8: 96

<<<< + . - .  c4: 58

> .           c5: 124

<< .          c3: 46

>>>> .        c7: 61

> .           c8: 96

>> .          c10: 32

< +++ .       c9: 95

[<]>> .       c3: 46

>>>> .        c7: 61

> .           c8: 96

> --- .       c9: 92

>> .          newline



Line 11

< ..       c10: 32

[<]> .     c2: 39

>>> .      c5: 124

>>>> +++ . c9: 95

[<]>> .    c3: 46

>>>> .     c7: 61

> .        c8: 96

>> ...     c10: 32

< .. --- . c9: 92

>> .       newline



Line 12

< ...      c10: 32

<< .       c8: 96

> . +++ . c9: 95

[<]>> ..   c3: 46

>>>> ..    c7: 61

> ..       c8: 96

>> .       c10: 32

<<<< .     c6: 47

[>]< .     newline



Line 13

< ....         c10: 32

[<]>> .        c3: 46

< .            c2: 39

> .            c3: 46

>>>>> > ...    c9: 95

<<<<< < . - .  c3: 45

< .            c2: 39

> + .          c3: 46

[>]< .         newline



Line 14

< ...            c10: 32

<<<< .           c6: 47

>>>> ..... ..... c10: 32

< --- .          c9: 92

>> .             newline



Line 15

< ..                  c10: 32

[<]> + . - .          c2: 39

> - .. + ..... . - .. c3: 45

< . ++ .              c2: 41

[>]< .                newline



Line 16

< ..                c10: 32

<<<< .              c6: 47

<<<< -- .           c2: 39

> .. + ..... . - .. c3: 45

< .                 c2: 39

[>]<<< .            c9: 92

>> .                newline



Line 17

< ...               c10: 32

[<]> ----- .        c2: 34

> .. + ..... . - .. c3: 45

< .                 newline

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Canvas, 131 129 128 bytes

ｒ}｛rfｃｘ↖ｏ0ｗ}tf‽«≥⇵‾ｕ┴Ｒnｐ,ｔ≠8↓ａb╬∑⁹／9ｈ.→ｂ◂ＬＤp；Cxq$Pｓ~*@i６bＷt╪L＃We↘²l％ｑＪ⁰ａ|2]？¼-┘╫rｌM⁹&Ｏ¾×{Y？－)╵Ｚ⁴;⇵Z¼e`i‼ø‟⁶∑[Ａ┼Ｘ╋╋3ｇ↑Ｂ／J:◂ŗ"‟║∔

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Compression, plus palindromizing the bottom 4 lines

Jelly, 157 bytes

“<ẏʂɦDçḢñ×%Ḟj ṗẹẠ⁸%§⁵ġTÞj}eĿƬ0lḳ)þaṛƭÆƇỴɱ)rȦẋ}=ėMȮDḂıçEYĠⱮȮɗ%ẈẒṭÆ5§aɓNỤ⁹=ZÐḃ⁶ṣṭṂe÷ɲẎḤøƈƓuⱮfl’ṃ“ ,.¶:!/`;|'_-=”Ḥ“¦]Ẓ$øSṫ)⁼⁻ḊAḣɠ5ƤVĊ_⁺œAʋ½’BT¤¦ṣ”!ż“<^"ec)()""

A full-program printing the art.

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How?

_{Almost certainly not optimal}

“...’ṃ“ ,.¶:!/`;|'_-=”Ḥ“...’BT¤¦ṣ”!ż“<^"ec)()"" - Main Link: no arguments

“...’                                            - base 250 integer = 40456038316861238392937374894157290550238585275386707138893559485980776818421971180905923819853990224605051183032957226663498407152675710453520748595760648781544778088699103552320167328800583390864726325837494040650859

      “ ,.¶:!/`;|'_-=”                          - list of characters " ,.¶:!/`;|'_-="

                                                 -   Note: ¶ is really a newline character

     ṃ                                           - decompress (use the 15 chars as base 15 digits)

                                ¦                - sparse application...

                                                 - ...to indices: 

                               ¤                 -   nilad followed by link(s) as a nilad:

                        “...’                    -     base 250 integer = 90651644424142209479178402838382929265611178277832292511

                             B                   -     to binary = 111011001001110010100001000010000100000010001111000010101000010000101100100000010111000101000000000000000000000100000010100100001110001100010000001001111100100111110001001111100010011111

                              T                  -     truthy indices = [1,2,3,5,6,9,12,13,14,17,19,24,29,34,41,45,46,47,48,53,55,57,62,67,69,70,73,80,82,83,84,88,90,112,119,121,124,129,130,131,135,136,140,147,150,151,152,153,154,157,160,161,162,163,164,168,171,172,173,174,175,179,182,183,184,185,186]

                                                 - ...action: 

                       Ḥ                         -   double (e.g. 'x' -> 'xx')

                                 ṣ               - split at:

                                  ”!             -   literal '!' character

                                    ż            - zip with:

                                     “<^"ec)()"" -   list of characters '<^"ec)()""'

                                                 -     (implicit closing ”)

                                                 - implicit, smashing print

Charcoal, 138 bytes

”}∧αＰ3|%g↥⪪⁻↘gＭGu↘◧(⟲₂≧⟦⁵Ｉ↑λ‽"d⌈Ｚ↗Xκ›⍘‽▷xλ:Ｃ³↶⎇³Þê¡)ＱＯ=IT¡Ｇ▶gＴ~№vＥK→VpＺx﹪η↥2⁷Ｏa↙8 ⁷¹↘‽…Ｅ±ι·Ｃυ‴⁻▶~⧴ＥＹ⸿↓⊗⊘.⭆ⅉＷ";‖qNP¬⁺_↙- M÷Ｏpbνω？,#ＪQΣ8~⪫↥W

Try it online! Link is to verbose version of code... well, it's a single Print statement, as this is just a single compressed string; I tried reflecting the base but that cost 6 bytes.