Mariano Ceballos riding a bull from the ‘Bulls of Bordeaux’

Description

In Mariano Ceballos Riding a Bull, Mariano Ceballos rides a bull before a gathering of spectators, with another bull adding to the arena’s restless energy. The unusual mount gives the rider’s skill a striking physical setting, joining human balance to the movement of a powerful animal. Goya makes the spectacle engaging through an encounter whose control can never seem entirely effortless.

Created in 1825 for the Bulls of Bordeaux, the lithograph uses crayon marks and scraped passages to give the scene a lively range of tones. Its appeal comes from the relationship between performance and risk, where the crowd’s attention rests on a person working with forces larger than himself. The image holds that tension in view, making a public entertainment a vivid study of bodily effort and animal power.

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