Carlos V. lanceando un toro en la plaza de Valladolid (Charles V Spearing a Bull in the Ring at Valladolid)

Carlos V. lanceando un toro en la plaza de Valladolid (Charles V Spearing a Bull in the Ring at Valladolid) by Francisco Goya is a significant Spanish print dating from 1816. This historical depiction was executed during Goya's late productive period, spanning 1801 to 1825. The work utilizes a complex and demanding combination of techniques: etching, burnished aquatint, drypoint, and burin, resulting in a first edition impression that showcases Goya’s mastery of graphic art.

The subject matter vividly captures an idealized historical spectacle of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V engaging a bull in the arena at Valladolid. Although the plate depicts an event from the sixteenth century, Goya often used the Tauromaquia portfolio to explore both the ancient traditions and the contemporary performance of the bullfight. Goya’s masterful application of burnished aquatint creates dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, emphasizing the scale and tension of the event. The technical refinement, particularly the detail achieved through drypoint and burin, highlights the powerful movement of both the armored rider and the charging animal as they confront one another within the confines of the bullring.

Classified as part of a major print Portfolio, this impression of Carlos V. lanceando un toro en la plaza de Valladolid resides in the esteemed collection of the National Gallery of Art. The piece represents a pinnacle of Spanish graphic arts during the early 19th century. As one of the celebrated prints from the artist's oeuvre, the enduring appeal of the historical subject matter and the technical brilliance of the work ensure its continual study by art historians. High-quality reproductions and prints of this historical depiction, created by Goya, are frequently made available through various public domain initiatives, allowing broader scholarly and public access to this powerful rendering of cultural history.