The Spectacle of the Ring, Captured by the Master.
This stunning 1956 color aquatint is one of the most celebrated images from Picasso’s vast bullfighting catalog. Created during his years in the South of France, where he attended weekly corridas in Arles and Vallauris to reconnect with his Spanish roots, “La Corrida” captures the heat, noise, and collective breath of the arena.
Unlike his darker, mythological depictions of the bull, this work is a vibrant celebration of the event itself. The composition utilizes a dramatic "god’s eye" perspective, looking down from the high stands into the sun-drenched ring. The crowd is rendered as a sea of post-impressionistic color. Swirls of yellow and ochre compose the primal dance between the matador and the dark earthy browns and blacks of the bull.
A Masterful Collaboration, this work is a testament to the relationship between Picasso and the legendary engraver Aldo Crommelynck. Executed at the famous Atelier Lacourière in Paris, the print utilizes a complex aquatint technique to achieve a painterly, watercolor effect that standard lithography cannot match. It stands as a prime example of the high-fidelity collaborative works authorized by Picasso during his lifetime. Picasso assisted closely in the entire process, choosing the specific techniques to use for each piece of imagery. He corrected and approved the proofs in every step along the way to the final authorization of this print, with his signature as evidence of his approval.
*This example features exceptionally fresh, bright colors, preserving the vibrant yellows and ochres that are often faded in other copies.
- Artist: Pablo Picasso, After
- Title: La Corrida
- Year: 1956
- Category: Limited Edition
- Medium: Color Aquatint
- Edition: 140/200
- Signature: Hand Signed
- Frame Size: 40” x 33 ¾”
- Paper Size: 30 ¼” x 22 ½”
- Image Size: 25 ¾” x 19”
- Paper Type: Vélin d’Rives BFK, blind stamped in lower left
- Engraver: Aldo Crommelynck (supervised by Picasso)
- Publisher: Atelier Lacourière, Paris, 1956
- Condition: Excellent Condition with strong and clear colors. Unblemished pencil signature. No existence of foxing or acid burn. No evidence of restoration or repair. Framed in museum-quality archival backing and matting. Preserved with anti-reflection Optium Museum Acrylic, featuring 99% UVA/ UVB blocking, excellent color transmission, Anti static, and shatter resistance.
Includes COA from Gold & Silver Pawn.
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