Derribo del picador 

Manuel Rodriguez de Guzman painted this scene of a bullfight without a date. Guzman, born in 1818, situated himself within a long tradition of Spanish art. He captured the spectacle of the bullring, a cultural touchstone deeply embedded in Spanish identity. Here, we witness the intense drama of the "derribo del picador" – the moment when the bull overthrows the picador, or the horseman. The painting is emotionally charged: we can almost hear the roar of the crowd, smell the fear of the horse, and feel the tension of the moment. The artist does not shy away from illustrating the violence inherent in the tradition. The viewer witnesses the brutal clash between man, animal, and spectacle. Guzman’s painting invites us to reflect on how cultural traditions shape our understanding of identity and what it means to be part of a community. It's a visceral reminder of the passions, tensions, and contradictions that define us.