Gautier, Théophile, 1811-1872 -- Travel -- Spain; Spain -- Description and travel; Spain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
The _Caprichos_ are the only productions of Goya in the
Bibliothèque Royale at Paris. He has, however, produced other
works,--namely, the "Tauromaquia," a collection of thirty-three
plates; "Scenes of the Invasion," which make twenty plates, and
ought to make more than forty; the etchings after Velasquez and
many others.
The "Tauromaquia" is a collection of scenes representing various
episodes of the bull-fights, from the time of the Moors down to
the present day. Goya was a finished _aficionado_, passing a
considerable portion of his time with the _torreros_, so that he
was the most competent person in the world to treat the matter
thoroughly. Although the attitudes, positions, the defence and
the attack, or, to speak technically, the various _suertes_ and
_cogidas_ are remarkable for their irreproachable exactitude; Goya
has invested the different scenes with his mysterious shadows
and fantastic colouring. What strange and ferocious heads! What
savage and odd dresses! What fury in the action! His Moors, treated
somewhat in the manner of the Turks in the time of the Empire,
as far as costume is concerned, have the most characteristic
physiognomies imaginable--a stroke roughly scratched in, a black
spot, a streak of light, is sufficient to form a personage who
lives, who moves, and whose physiognomy remains for ever impressed
upon your memory. The bulls and horses, although sometimes fabulous
in their proportions, have an expression of life and vigour which
is often wanting in the works of animal painters by profession:
the exploits of Gazul, of the Cid, of Charles V., of Romero, of
the Student of Falces, and of Pepe Illo, who perished miserably in
the arena, are traced with a truthfulness altogether Spanish. Like
the "Caprichos," the plates of the "Tauromaquia" are executed in
aquatinta, touched with aquafortis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account