Tauromachy or the Art of Bullfighting (La Tauromaquia, ó Arte de Torear: Obra Utilísima Para los Toreros de Profesión, Para los Aficionados y Para Toda Clase de Sujetos Que Gusten de Toros) (Ediciones de la Cometa)

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Tauromachy or the Art of Bullfighting (La Tauromaquia, ó Arte de Torear: Obra Utilísima Para los Toreros de Profesión, Para los Aficionados y Para Toda Clase de Sujetos Que Gusten de Toros) (Ediciones de la Cometa)

Artist Pablo Picasso (Spanish (active France), 1881-1973)

Publisher Editorial Gustavo Gili, S. A., Barcelona, 1959

Printer aquatints: Lacourière Frères, Paris (Jacques Frélaut); drypoint: Jaume Pla, Barcelona; text: Sociedad Alianza de Artes Gráficas (S

Author José Delgado y Gálvez (Pepe Illo) (Spanish, 1754-1801)

Date1959

DimensionsSlipcase: H: 14 7/16 in. (366 mm); W: 20 in. (508 mm); Depth: 2 3/8 in. (61 mm).
Chemise: H: 14 in. (356 mm); W: 19 13/16 in. (504 mm); Depth: 2 in. (51 mm).
Book: H: 14 in. (356 mm); W: 19 3/4 in. (502 mm); Depth: 1 3/4 in. (45 mm).
Page (untrimmed): H: 13 7/8 in. (352 mm); W: 19 1/2 in. (495 mm).
Image (approx.): H: 7 7/8 in. (200 mm); W: 11 5/8 in. (295 mm).

MediumOriginal prints: 26 lift ground aquatints, plus 1 drypoint (front wrapper). Text: letterpress (typeface: Ibarra). Paper: off-white Guarro wove watermarked with a bull’s head designed by Picasso.

ClassificationBooks

Credit LineGift of Molly and Walter Bareiss in honor of Barbara K. Sutherland

Object number

1984.926

Not on View

Label TextThe Tauromaquia is the only major livre d'artiste by Picasso to be published in Spain. The theme of the bullfight was a natural one for the Spanish-born artist, for he was an avid aficionado, and images of heroic-looking bulls had frequently appeared in his art. The text of Pepe Illo, a celebrated matador who died in the ring in 1801, traces the art of bullfighting from start to finish. Picasso's fluidly drawn aquatints vividly capture the sense of ringside drama and excitement. A few flicks of Picasso's brush on the copper plates (which were then processed, inked, and printed) was enough to suggest the crowd, the bullfighter's and their cape, the proud powerful bull, and the bull ring. The blank white of the paper evokes the hot sunlight of late afternoon. For this edition, Picasso designed a special watermark in the shape of a bull's head, and this is faintly visible at the lower right corner of each sheet. Picasso's Tauromaquia, in title, subject and printmaking technique, allude to the great series created by Goya almost 150 years before.Published Referencescf. Garvey, Eleanor M., The Artist & the Book, 1860--1960, Boston, 1961, no. 244, repr.

cf. Goeppert, Sebastian, et al., Pablo Picasso: The Illustrated Books, Catalogue raisonné, Geneva, 1983, no. 100

cf. Johnson, Robert Flynn, Artists' Books in the Modern Era 1870--2000: the Reva and David Logan Collection of Illustrated Books, San Francisco, 2001, no. 82.

Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, The Bareiss Collection of Illustrated Books from Toulouse-Lautrec to Kiefer, 1985, no. 68

Toledo Museum of Art, Picasso as an Illustrator, 1988, no. 48

Toledo Museum of Art, in conjunction with the Norton Simon Museum, Picasso: Graphic Magician, Nov. 7 , 1999 - Jan. 16, 2000. (Prints for following sections were shown: Suerte Ilamada de don Tancredo, Paseo de cuadrillas, A los toros, and Title page).