Picador valt een stier aan in de stierenvechtersarena van Carretera de Aragon te Madrid c. 1880 - 1890

This photograph was taken by Juan Laurent, likely in the 1860s, and depicts a bullfight at the Carretera de Aragon in Madrid. Laurent’s work, which includes photographs and reproductions of artworks, often involved the use of collodion on glass negatives, printed onto albumen paper. The albumen process, using egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper, was key to achieving the sharp detail and tonal range we see here. This material process was hugely popular in the mid-19th century, a commercial method in step with the times. But there’s more to it than that. Laurent's images, capturing Spanish culture, also served a burgeoning tourist industry. This photograph, more than just a record, embodies the complex relationships between culture, commerce, and spectacle. Bullfighting, deeply ingrained in Spanish tradition, was not simply a cultural phenomenon, but also a carefully managed performance for local and foreign audiences. This image asks us to consider the labor, the spectacle, and the social dynamics inherent in the act of bullfighting.