a lithograph from the *Toros y Toreros* (Bulls and Bullfighters) series, 1961, on Arches Wove paper;
36 x 26 cm (inside the passe-partout measuring 47 x 37 cm), dated “1.8.57 III” on the plate.
Publisher and copyright: Cercle D'Arts – Paris in collaboration with Atelier Fernand Mourlot.
Accompanied by the gallery’s certificate of authenticity.
The series from which this print is taken was first published in 1961 with Picasso’s permission and under his supervision—on the 80th anniversary of his birth.
The “Toros y Toreros” series is not just a collection of drawings—it is proof that Pablo Picasso, despite the years he spent in France, remained Spanish to the core. Picasso did not paint these scenes slowly at his easel. Most of the works in this series are dynamic ink drawings created using the lavis (blending) technique. The artist used his brush like a reporter—capturing the movement, the bull’s momentum, and the matador’s elegance in a fraction of a second.
Minimalism—just a few black lines are enough to feel the weight of the animal and the tension in the arena. Movement—the images almost “vibrate.” Picasso was able to capture the swirling traje de luces (costume of lights) with just a few splashes of ink.
This series is inextricably linked to the great friendship between Picasso and Luis Miguel Dominguín—the bullfighting superstar of the time (and, incidentally, the father of singer Miguel Bosé). Picasso spent entire days with him, watching the bullfights from the front row. Thanks to this relationship, the drawings took on an intimate character. It wasn’t just a view from the stands; it was the insight of someone who understood the fear, pride, and technical precision of this brutal ballet.
In 1961, the series was published as an album. Picasso designed the album to resemble his personal sketchbooks. The text was written by Dominguín himself (describing the bulls) and Georges Boudaille. For collectors, it is the “Holy Grail”—the first editions feature lithographs that perfectly capture the texture of the paper and the richness of Picasso’s ink.
Even if bullfighting is controversial today, *Toros y Toreros* stands on its own as a brilliant study of energy. Picasso did not judge—he celebrated the atavistic struggle between life and death. He showed that a line can be just as sharp and dangerous as a bull’s horn.
In addition to the bullfighters in action, the series also includes numerous drawings of Picasso’s second wife, Jacqueline, who was 46 years his junior. “Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”—Pablo Picasso
The frames shown in the renderings are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a commercial offer.
हाल ही में देखी गई
लॉट लिस्ट देखने के लिए कृपया लॉग इन करें
पसंदीदा
लॉट लिस्ट देखने के लिए कृपया लॉग इन करें