Juanito Apiñani in de arena van Madrid 1811 - 1816

Here is a print by Francisco Goya depicting a scene from a bullfight, showcasing the agility and daring of Juanito Apiñani in the arena of Madrid. The central motif is the bull and the bullfighter locked in a dance of danger, a spectacle laden with symbolism. It echoes ancient Minoan bull-leaping rituals, where youths demonstrated courage and skill by vaulting over bulls—a symbol of potency and virility—thus transforming the ritual into a spectacle. The pole around which Juanito clings becomes a vertical axis connecting the earth, embodied by the bull, and the heavens, suggesting a transcendence through bravery. This recalls the ancient symbol of the axis mundi, found in many cultures. The image, through its dramatic composition and raw emotion, taps into our collective memory, evoking both admiration for human bravery and a primal fear of mortality. The bullfight becomes a stage for the eternal drama of life and death, echoing through history, always evolving, yet forever resonating with our deepest instincts.