“The Bravery of Martincho in the Ring of Saragassa” is an artwork created by Francisco Goya between 1815 and 1816. It belongs to the Tauromaquia series and is characterized by its romanticism style. The piece is a caricature, crafted through the mediums of aquatint and etching on paper, and its dimensions are 24.5 by 35.5 cm. This artwork is a reflection of the historical and cultural elements associated with the traditional Spanish bullfighting.
The artwork portrays a scene of intense drama and action within a bullfighting arena. In the foreground, one can see a toreador, presumably Martincho, exhibiting a remarkable feat of bravery by sitting on a chair in the direct path of an onrushing bull. The toreador holds out a hat in one hand as a challenge to the fierce animal. It’s a moment snatched from time, conveying both the elegance and the precariousness of the bullfight. The surrounding space of the arena is mostly empty, emphasizing the isolation of the duo in their confrontation.
Witnesses can be seen peeking from behind a protective barrier on the left side of the artwork. These onlookers add a sense of reality to the scene, grounding the heroic, or perhaps foolhardy, act of Martincho in the societal context of entertainment and spectacle. The technique used by Goya, with stark contrasts of light and shadow, enhances the theatricality and tension of the composition, making it a powerful example of Romanticism as well as a vivid depiction of the tauromaquia—the art of bullfighting.
