Wanderlust Collective

Bullfighting in Madrid

JAN 25/THE WANDERLUST COLLECTIVE/ART, INSPIRATION, MADRID, TRAVEL

“Modern” bullfighting has been a tradition in Spain for over 200 years. People pile in to buy tickets to see the show. While in the earliest years of bullfighting itself the mortality rate was high, during the years the sport was “modernized” only a handful of matadors have been killed. What about the bulls? Where did this tradition come from? Just how far back does it go?

Bullfights may have spanned back to pre-Roman times, throughout the mediterreanean coast, and in Spain appeared in medieval times. At one point it was considered a noble sport only for the rich. The games are separated into three distinct parts: tercio de varas (part of lances), tercio de banderillas (part of small flags), and tercio de Muerte (part of death).

Photo by Stephane YAICH on Unsplash

Through the drawn out display and dance between the fighters and the beast, the fight usually ends with a matador dealing a swift death to the bull, there is shame if it is not swift. There are instances where the bull is “freed” in cases where the bull is such a magnificent opponent and puts on such a fantastic performance that they are spared by the “presidente” and matador and often retired to live respected lives as “stud animals” as any return to the ring would make them extremely dangerous opponents. A bull never fights in the ring twice.

The act of bullfighting is such a dangerous profession that a special type of surgeon was created specifically for treating cornadas, “horn wounds”. These surgeons wait on standby during every match, prepared to treat any injury that may occur to the bullfighting team.

“Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death and in which the degree of brilliance in the performance is left to the fighter's honor.”

Ernest Hemingway

I’m attracted to bulls because well... I can be a very stubborn person, that stubbornness is what’s fueled me to be the artist that I am today. The Spanish bull is bred on wide ranging ranches in Spain. They’re known for being strong and noted for their aggressive behavior. It’s claimed that the Bravo bull variety used in these fights are the closest living relatives to the European wild bull, long extinct. I can see why many artists in Spain chose them as their muse.

Photo by Alec Favale on Unsplash

Artists like Salvador Dali who painted many different depictions of bullfights. I got to see these when I was in Prague. They are more interesting in person. Splashes of colors, emotions, and the intensity of the scene.

Pablo Picasso also painted and sketched many bullfighting scenes. It was his favorite theme and passion.

And interestingly enough, Francisco Goya was one of the first artists to depict a female bullfighter of the time. That’s right, female bullfighters! Women were bullfighting as early as the 1700’s, and the subject of his painting: La Pajuelera, Nicolasa Escamilla, was one of the most famous women in the profession. Women were banned from fighting in the early 1900’s, which is another conversation entirely, but I found this to be a cool little fact that you don’t often hear about!

However you view bullfighting, positive or negative, it cannot be denied that it has been a huge part of history in Spain. For better or worse, it’s a tradition they have kept alive and made into its own type of art-form. Every part of the event is laced with artists from paintings of the event, down to the intricate outfits worn, decorations in the stadiums, and even the drawn out ‘theater like’ performances. The bulls are so symbolic to the Spanish that you find them everywhere, even where you wouldn’t expect them to appear. It’s not hard to see why...such strong and powerful creatures are to be respected.

I, myself, was also inspired to do an art piece featuring the bull!!

For more inspired pieces and to check out some other adventures visit:

http://paintmadrid.art