A picador caught by a bull, from the "Bulls of Bordeaux"
Original title: A picador caught by a bull, from the "Bulls of Bordeaux"
kurzbeschreibung
A picador is attacked by a bull in the arena. Goya made this print in 1825 as a crayon lithograph, also using a scraper. It belongs to the series 'The Bulls of Bordeaux' and presents a dramatic episode of bullfighting.
Description
A massive bull charges in the foreground toward a horseman. The rider holds a lance ready to defend himself, and the horse rears up. Further back, more bulls and riders can be made out moving across the arena floor. Everything is caught in violent motion, with light falling from above casting shadows and heightening the drama. Gray tones alone define the palette, making the scene stand out with strong contrasts.
Context
The 'Bulls of Bordeaux' series was created during Goya's exile in Bordeaux, where he lived from 1824. Lithography was still a young technique at the time, which the artist explored thoroughly in his late years. This print dates from 1825, when Goya was already 79 years old. It belongs to a group of four lithographs devoted to bullfighting.
Impact
Because bull and horse confront each other head-on, tension arises immediately. The coarse stroke and harsh light-dark contrasts give the image a raw, almost brutal force. Viewers are drawn straight into the action, with nothing creating distance.
Technique
Goya drew with greasy chalk on the stone, producing the crayon lithograph. He then scraped away material in places with a scraper to gain highlights and delicate lines. This interplay opens up a wide tonal range and a lively texture.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)