Plate 10 from ‘La Tauromaquia’: Charles V spearing a bull in the ring at Valladolid

Description

In Charles V spearing a bull in the ring at Valladolid, a royal rider directs a spear toward a bull, bringing the prestige of the mounted figure into a dangerous physical encounter. Francisco Goya’s Charles V Spearing a Bull in the Ring at Valladolid joins historical authority to the demands of the arena. Horse and rider become a coordinated force, while the bull remains a substantial opposing presence.

Published in 1816 as plate 10 of La Tauromaquia, the etching and burnished aquatint belong to the series’ imaginative history of bullfighting. The scene treats royal participation as an act requiring bodily control, not merely a display of rank. Goya’s interest lies in the tension between dignity and exposure. The image gives the historical subject immediacy through movement, making authority appear dependent on a moment of skill that must be carried out at close range.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Goya collection.