The bullfighter’s adoring crowd 

Editor: This painting is titled "The bullfighter’s adoring crowd" by Jehan Georges Vibert, and it's done with oil paint. The first thing that strikes me is the staging of the scene – it’s almost theatrical. What do you make of this setup? Curator: Oh, theatrical is absolutely the word! It’s as though Vibert isn't just painting a bullfight celebration; he's directing a little play about one. He positions us, doesn't he, almost as if we are also part of that audience, peeking in on this private box? What kind of story do you imagine is unfolding within it? Editor: I see the women, quite dressed up, in what seems like a private viewing box… and they seem far more interesting to the painter than the bullfighter himself! There is definitely some excitement and maybe flirtation here. Curator: Exactly! Vibert loved painting these kinds of "scenes of modern life" with a bit of social commentary hidden inside. Look at how much detail he lavishes on the frills, the lace, the little details of the spectators. Is he celebrating bullfighting, or is he gently poking fun at the upper class's obsession with spectacle? And what about the discarded costume at the base of the image; does that signify a performance fulfilled or a story abandoned? Editor: So, it’s not really *about* bullfighting at all! I was too distracted by the bullfighter, I think. Now I realize it's a lot more nuanced, about people putting on a performance and being consumed by a performance. It also looks like Vibert wanted to represent modern fashionable garments and fabrics in his painting, to an almost photographic level. Curator: Spot on! That meticulous attention to detail – and those little hints of irony – are what make Vibert so delicious. Editor: It's funny, I completely missed the nuances! This definitely highlights the importance of context when looking at art. Curator: Indeed! Sometimes, the best way to "see" a painting is to look beyond what's right in front of your eyes and imagine the stories it's trying to whisper.