Francisco de Goya

How the ancient Spaniards hunted bulls on horseback in the countryside (preparatory drawing)

Clasificación
How the ancient Spaniards hunted bulls on horseback in the countryside (preparatory drawing)
Datos Generales
Cronología
Ca. 1810 - 1815
Ubicación
The Prado National Museum. Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Dimensiones
215 x 293 mm
Técnica y soporte
Sanguine on laid paper
Reconocimiento de la autoría de Goya
Documented work
Titular
El Prado National Museum
Ficha: realización/revisión
16 Sep 2022 / 22 Jun 2023
Inventario
D4291
Inscripciones

12 (in pencil; recto, lower left-hand corner)

[...]4 [On fragment of paper affixed] (verso, upper part)

1 (reverse)

210 (reverse, lower part)

245 [crossed out] (verso, lower part)

Unpublished (verso, upper part)

Historia

See How the ancient Spaniards hunted bulls on horseback in the countryside.

Javier Goya, Madrid, 1828; Mariano Goya, Madrid, 1854; Valentín Carderera, Madrid, c. 1861; Mariano Carderera, Madrid, 1880; Prado Museum, 1886.

Análisis artístico

In the preparatory drawing for How the ancient Spaniards hunted bulls on horseback in the countryside, Goya attempted to emphasise the primitive aspect of the scene through visual means with the very intelligent use of sophisticated formal resources that reinforce the sense of victims of human barbarity. The bestiality is emphasised by the rod with which the bull is immobilised, forcing him to lower his head and be submissive to the rider, by the primitive clothing made of animal skins and, above all, by the facial expression, with unkempt beards.

For this characterisation, Goya was inspired by Nicolás Fernández de Moratín's text Historical Letters on the Origin and Development of Bullfighting in Spain, 1777. The primitivism of the mimicry and gestures are complemented by lifeless, scenic landscapes, where clouds and shadows help to recreate the atmosphere of a bygone era.

As Matilla describes, the brutality evident in this first image of the series becomes an essential feature. In this sense, we can interpret this characterisation of its protagonist as a covert criticism of human savagery expressed through bullfighting.  This is something that Goya had the opportunity to capture shortly before in his series of Disasters.

Exposiciones
  • Milwakee
    1986
  • Goya: toros y toreros
    Espace Van Gogh
    Arles
    1990
    displayed also at Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Madrid, consultant editor Pierre Gassier.
  • Santander
    2017
  • Madrid
    2019
Bibliografía
  • D'ACHIARDI, Pierre
    Roma D.Anderson: Editeur
    1908
    pp. il. CVIII
  • LAFUENTE FERRARI, Enrique
    1946
    pp. 179-187
  • SÁNCHEZ CANTÓN. Francisco Javier
    MadridMuseo del Prado
    1954
    n. 152
  • LAFUENTE FERRARI, Enrique
    ParísLe Club Français du Livre
    1963
    p. 38
  • GASSIER, Pierre y WILSON, Juliet
    Vie et ouvre de Francisco de Goya
    ParísOffice du livre
    1970
    pp. 276, n.1150
  • LAFUENTE FERRARI, Enrique
    Barcelona
    1974
    pp. 9-10
  • GASSIER, Pierre
    Dibujos de Goya, 2 vols
    BarcelonaNoguer
    1975
    pp. 330-331
  • LAFUENTE FERRARI, Enrique
    El mundo de Goya en sus dibujos
    MadridUrbión
    1979
    pp. 180-181
  • GASSIER, Pierre
    Goya, toros y toreros
    MadridMinisterio de Cultura, Comunidad de Madrid
    1990
    p. 84
  • MATILLA, José Manuel y MEDRANO, José Miguel
    MadridMuseo Nacional del Prado
    2001
    pp. 42-43
  • MATILLA, José Manuel y MENA, Manuela B.
    SantanderFundación Botín y Museo Nacional del Prado
    2017
    pp. 115 - 193
  • MATILLA, José Manuel y MENA, Manuela B. (comisarios)
    MadridMuseo Nacional del Prado
    2019
    p. 214
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