Plate 1 from "La Tauromaquia": The way in which the ancient Spaniards hunted bulls on horseback in the open country
Original title: Plate 1 from "La Tauromaquia": The way in which the ancient Spaniards hunted bulls on horseback in the open country
kurzbeschreibung
Francisco de Goya made this etching in 1816 as plate 1 of La Tauromaquia, titled The Way the Ancient Spaniards Hunted Bulls on Horseback in the Open Field. Two riders with lances drive two bulls across open ground. The print opens the series, in which Goya explores the many forms bullfighting has taken.
Description
Two bulls race forward in the foreground, each closely followed by a rider carrying a long lance. A mountainous landscape rises behind them under a cloudy sky. The riders wear garments recorded from the historical hunt. Grey tones govern the whole image and reinforce its documentary feel; the figures are arranged around movement, drawing the eye to the chase.
Context
This sheet appeared in 1816 as the opening of La Tauromaquia, a series Goya worked on in those years. In it he traced the history and practice of Spanish bullfighting from early times to his own day. The series was first published in Madrid in 1816 and ranks among his most substantial graphic works. By presenting older forms of the hunt, Goya preserved a piece of Spanish tradition.
Impact
The graded greys and the restless layout create a tense, almost eerie mood. The viewer is pulled straight into the pursuit. The historical clothing and the landscape give the print something timeless and credible.
Technique
The print was executed as an etching with aquatint and drypoint on paper. That combination allows both precise lines and soft tonal transitions, from which the grey values and atmospheric density emerge. The plate measures 24.8 x 35 cm, the sheet 30.5 x 43.7 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)