Bullfighting Scene: Division of the Square
- Original dimensions
- 58 x 46 cm
- Museum
- Ashmolean Museum
Historical context
Created in 1826, this painting is set in the vibrant backdrop of Madrid, a city marked by its cultural effervescence during the romantic period. An essential member of the romanticism movement, Goya captures here the intense and dramatic essence of the corrida, an emblematic event of Spanish culture. Today, the canvas resides in the prestigious Ashmolean Museum, where its dimensions of 58 x 46 cm reveal the technical mastery of the artist.
Place in the artist's career
Scène de corrida : División de place represents a crucial step in Goya's career, a stylistic peak where sharp observation and technical innovation intertwine. Following La Maja Desnuda and preceding Les Désastres de la guerre , this canvas illustrates his technical and emotional evolution, imbued with unforgettable intensity.
Anecdote
“Art must capture not only light but also the soul of men,” Goya might have said while contemplating the lively scene of an arena. It is a spring afternoon in Madrid, distant cries of passion resonate in the air, when the idea springs forth, illuminated by the brilliance of the lights and the palpable excitement. This pictorial work is an expression of that raw emotion, a vibrant cry at the heart of Spanish culture.