Bullfight Scene (La Corrida) 1934

Pablo Picasso, 1934

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About This Work

A dynamic bullfight scene from the mid-1930s, when Picasso returned to Spain for the last time before the Civil War. The corrida — a lifelong obsession — is rendered in swirling, violent brushwork that anticipates the anguish of Guernica. The bull, horse, and matador are locked in a deadly dance, their bodies merging and separating in the heat of the arena.

Picasso attended bullfights throughout his life and saw in the corrida a profound drama of life, death, and transformation. The bull became one of his central symbols — appearing in the Minotauromachy, Guernica, and dozens of other works. This 1934 canvas was painted on his last visit to Spain before the Civil War began in 1936.

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