Muilezels dragen een dode stier uit de stierenvechtersarena van Carretera de Aragon te Madrid c. 1880 - 1890

Juan Laurent captured this photograph of mules dragging a dead bull from the bullfighting arena in Madrid. Notice how Laurent’s composition meticulously balances the spectacle of death with the routines of labour. The arena, a vast, circular stage, is divided horizontally: the drama unfolds in the sandy foreground, while the anonymous mass of spectators forms a dark, textured backdrop. The eye is drawn to the center, where the fallen bull, a dark, inert mass, is surrounded by a team of mules and their handlers. Laurent’s choice of black and white photography is critical here. By stripping away color, he forces us to focus on form, texture, and the stark contrasts of light and shadow. The scene is fraught with semiotic tension. The bull represents vanquished power, while the mules and handlers symbolize the mundane processes that follow grand events. Laurent uses the photographic medium to question the values embedded in the bullfighting ritual. The formal arrangement, combined with the use of light and shadow, invites a deeper reflection on the spectacle of death and its cultural significance.