Bullfight, Suerte de Varas 

Francisco de Goya captured the tension of the bullfight in this oil on canvas. The apparent spontaneity of Goya's brushwork is misleading; oil paint is a slow medium, allowing artists to rework their compositions over long periods. The painting's material qualities are most evident in the thick impasto of the figures, contrasting with the thin washes in the arena's background, giving a sense of depth to the scene. The making of this artwork also involved the preparation of the canvas, the grinding and mixing of pigments with oil, and the skillful application of layers to achieve the final image. Goya's loose, gestural handling suggests the influence of contemporary printmaking, a more immediate medium that also reflected popular culture. The work is a direct view onto Spanish culture and tradition, but also touches on the relationship between violence, spectacle, and national identity, tied to broader social issues of power, class, and ritual. By emphasizing the material process and cultural context of this painting, we can appreciate its complexity beyond mere representation.