Stierengevecht 1750 - 1809

David Alphonse de Sandoz-Rollin made this drawing of a bullfight with graphite on paper, sometime in the late 18th century. Here, the artist is working with traditional art materials, but the subject is very much of its time. The bullfight was, and is, a highly ritualized form of entertainment, and this sketch gives us a glimpse into its social context. Consider the way Sandoz-Rollin has used the graphite to create a sense of movement and drama. The use of hatching and cross-hatching gives the figures a sense of volume, while the loose, sketchy lines add to the feeling of energy and excitement. The bullfight itself is a spectacle, where the labor involved in raising, training, and ultimately killing the bull is put on display for the entertainment of the audience. This drawing, with its focus on the action and drama of the event, invites us to consider the complex social and economic forces that shape our cultural practices. In this light, the artwork challenges our assumptions about the relationship between art, labor, and entertainment.