Description
A mounted Moor directs his spear toward a bull, bringing rider, horse and animal into a tightly controlled confrontation. Francisco Goya identifies the rider as Gazul in this scene from La Tauromaquia. The subject presents a moment of formal skill, with the rider’s action giving shape to a dangerous meeting of powerful bodies.
Published in 1816 as plate 5, the print forms part of Goya’s historical and legendary account of bullfighting. Its title associates Gazul with the first regulated spearing of bulls, a claim within the series’ narrative rather than a neutral documentary record. Etching and burnished aquatint distinguish the moving figures from the arena. The image’s appeal lies in its concentration on coordinated action, where composure and risk occupy the same instant.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Goya collection.
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