Plate 2 from "La Tauromaquia": Another way of hunting on foot
Original title: Plate 2 from "La Tauromaquia": Another way of hunting on foot
kurzbeschreibung
This sheet belongs to Francisco de Goya's etching series 'La Tauromaquia' from 1816. It shows two men on foot pursuing a bull – one with a long stick, the other with a spear. The print combines etching, burnished aquatint, drypoint, and burin.
Description
Three figures – two men and a bull – dominate the foreground. The man on the left carries a long stick, the one on the right a spear; both are in vigorous motion. Behind them, a simple landscape with a tree and a bright horizon suggests the sun. Various greys, produced by the printing processes, define the monochrome character of the image.
Context
As part of the 1816 series 'La Tauromaquia', this etching is devoted to Spanish bullfighting. In it, Goya recorded various historical and contemporary practices. The motif shows a less common form of hunting on foot and points to the breadth of bullfighting traditions in Spain.
Impact
Dynamic lines and strong grey contrasts give the sheet a lively, direct presence. The reduction to essentials – figures, tree, bright horizon – condenses the action into a concentrated, almost documentary intensity.
Technique
The execution was done as an etching with burnished aquatint, drypoint, and burin. This combination allowed both fine lines and soft tonal gradations. By partially burnishing the aquatint, different grey values were created.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)