Manly courage of the celebrated Pajuelera in the ring at Saragossa, plate 22 from The Art of Bullfighting Possibly 1814 - 1816

Editor: Here we have "Manly courage of the celebrated Pajuelera in the ring at Saragossa," a print by Francisco de Goya, likely from between 1814 and 1816. It's an etching on paper and the scene is quite dynamic, focusing on a woman on horseback facing a bull. What's particularly striking, even unsettling, is the title itself, with this contrast between manliness and a female subject. What are your thoughts when you look at this print? Curator: It's essential to consider the social context of 19th-century Spain. Bullfighting was a deeply ingrained part of the culture, embodying ideas about courage, masculinity, and national identity. However, Goya's choice to depict a woman in this traditionally male role challenges those very concepts. We need to question how gender roles are being portrayed, and whether Goya is celebrating or critiquing them. Editor: So you think Goya is intentionally playing with the concept of gender, rather than just depicting a historical event? Curator: Precisely. Goya was often a social commentator. He asks us to unpack who gets to perform 'courage' and in what circumstances. Who is the spectacle really *for*? Consider also the spectators visible in the background - what does it tell us about who could, and could not, perform this type of courage? It's vital to acknowledge this historical moment in bullfighting but view it through a critical lens of gender and societal expectation. Editor: That makes me think about how art can actively participate in re-writing historical narratives. It is like Goya is setting up the space for a dialogue to begin around conventional gender norms and Spain's historical tradition. Curator: Yes, art becomes a space for dialogue. This is not just an etching on paper, but a statement which fosters a modern view that pushes up against the foundations of traditional culture, allowing new modes of thought to occur.