The Speed and Daring of Juanito Apiñani in the Ring of Madrid 1816

This print of a bullfight was made by Francisco Goya sometime between 1815 and 1816, using etching and aquatint. The linear precision of etching captures the drama of the moment: the grounded strength of the bull, and the acrobat’s daring escape. Aquatint, meanwhile, allowed Goya to create areas of tone, darkening the crowd in the stands, and adding volume to the bull’s muscular form. The work belongs to a series entitled ‘La Tauromaquia’, exploring the history of bullfighting. But Goya was not simply illustrating a popular pastime. Here, he was grappling with questions of bravery, spectacle, and national identity. The printmaking techniques Goya employed allowed for the wide distribution of these images, making them accessible to a broad public. In this way, Goya elevated bullfighting, a popular form of entertainment, to the realm of art. And he used his art to reflect on Spanish culture and society.