The Cid Campeador spearing another bull, plate eleven from The Art of Bullfighting Possibly 1814 - 1816

Curator: This etching by Goya, "The Cid Campeador spearing another bull," believed to be from around 1814-1816, depicts a historical figure engaged in bullfighting. What strikes you about it? Editor: It’s the sheer brutality, I think, but rendered in such delicate lines. I’m also curious about Goya's choice to use etching, a process involving acid and metal, to depict such a raw and physical scene. What's your perspective on the materials and context of this print? Curator: Considering Goya’s social standing and his commentary on the Spanish court and society, we have to consider the deliberate selection of printmaking here. How might the *means* of reproduction – etching, specifically – be a commentary in itself? Remember, prints democratize art, taking it from the exclusive domain of the wealthy. Editor: So, Goya chose printmaking, making art accessible to a wider audience while representing the bullfight, which was then a spectacle involving social classes? Was this about criticizing or celebrating popular culture? Curator: Perhaps it's both. Bullfighting provided a stage for the display of courage and skill but was also rooted in the exploitation of the animal, a theme explored by others, like Picasso, much later. Goya makes visible the labor inherent in the making of the print itself. Look at the stark lines, the areas of heavy and light application of acid. The materiality becomes part of the narrative. Editor: That makes me see the image differently, not just as a depiction of bullfighting, but as a commentary on labor, spectacle, and access to art itself. Curator: Exactly. Considering Goya's position and printmaking choices enables a materialist perspective, which is rewarding, don't you agree? Editor: Absolutely! It’s a fascinating way to see how the means of production deeply intertwine with the content and the intended audience.