The artwork “The Bullfight” was created by Edouard Manet in 1864. This painting is an oil on canvas work, measuring 48 x 109 cm, and is part of the Realism movement. As a genre painting, it captures a scene from everyday life and is currently housed in the Frick Collection in New York City, NY, USA.
In “The Bullfight,” Manet presents a vivid moment within the bullfighting arena. The composition captures three central figures—distinctly dressed in traditional bullfighting attire—interacting with the drama of the spectacle. To the left stands a picador in a purple suit with a green cape over one arm, appearing poised and confident. At the center, another individual, seemingly a matador, is captured mid-action, in the act of hopping a fence or barrier, which suggests an intense moment of the fight. His purple costume contrasts with the reddish hue of the barrier. To the right, a torero, dressed in a nattily embellished suit, handles a cape, preparing for or concluding his part in the exhibition. The bull itself is not in immediate view, suggesting that the focus of this work is on the bullfighters and their roles. The background reveals a blurred audience, their attention fixed on the event, contributing to the sense of movement and anticipation. Manet’s use of brushstrokes and color emphasizes the liveliness and immediacy of the scene, capturing the essence of the bullfighting tradition in a single frame.
