The Famous American, Mariano Cebellos, 1825

expand_more
Not on Viewexpand_more

To escape the ruthless absolutism of Fernando VII (1784-1833), Francisco Goya spent the last four years of his life in France. He settled in Bordeaux where, at the age of 79, he executed this print, one in a series of four called the "Bulls of Bordeaux." This work represents Goya's brilliant mastery of lithography, a relatively new medium that the artist had experimented with in the last decade of his life. He drew directly on the lithographic stone with a crayon, producing the appearance of a freely sketched chalk drawing. Emerging from the rich texture of grays and blacks, the bullfight unfolds in an expansive sunlit ring, which Goya created with the use of a scraper.

Goya had treated the enormously popular subject of the bullfight countless times, but here, in France at the end of his life and nearly blind, he drew from memory. In this sheet he depicted the Spanish-American matador Mariano Cebellos carrying out the feat that made him famous: killing one bull while riding another. He died in the bullring in 1780.

file_downloadprintshare
arrow_back home
Details
Title
The Famous American, Mariano Cebellos
Artist Life
1746–1828
Role
Artist
Accession Number
P.11,743
Provenance
(Knoedler & Co., New York); sold to MIA, 1941.
Catalogue Raisonne
Delteil 286 ii/ii; Harris 283 ii/ii; Gassier and Wilson V.1707; Pérez Sánchez & Gállego 14; Lefort 272; Loga 728; Mayer XXXII.a;
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.