Dos grupos de picadores arrollados de seguida por un solo toro (Two Teams of Picadors Thrown One after the Other by a Single Bull)

Dos grupos de picadores arrollados de seguida por un solo toro (Two Teams of Picadors Thrown One after the Other by a Single Bull) by Francisco Goya, executed in 1816, is a powerful example of the artist’s mastery of graphic media. Classified as a portfolio piece-likely belonging to the famous La Tauromaquia series-this print utilizes a complex combination of etching, burnished aquatint, drypoint, and burin to achieve dramatic tonal depth and texture. The resulting image captures a chaotic moment of bullfighting violence, characteristic of the unflinching approach Goya brought to the subject.

The subject matter depicts multiple picadors and their horses violently scattered across the arena by the sheer force of a single charging bull. Unlike earlier, often idealized portrayals of the corrida, Goya emphasizes the brutal energy and theatrical peril of the Spanish spectacle. This work, created during the politically tumultuous 1801 to 1825 period, reflects Goya's late-career focus on dramatic narrative and raw emotion, often exploring themes of human mortality and uncontrolled power.

Technically, the print is highly sophisticated. The artist uses deep etching combined with extensive aquatint application, creating rich, velvety blacks and smoky shadows that heighten the sense of confusion and danger. The drypoint scratching further energizes the scene, giving immediate dynamism to the figures and the panicked animals. This powerful image, sometimes known simply as Dos grupos de picadores, remains one of the most compelling visual records of the bullfight tradition. A first edition impression of this seminal work is held in the prestigious collection of the National Gallery of Art, demonstrating Goya’s enduring influence on the history of prints. Due to its age and cultural importance, high-resolution copies of this masterwork are frequently available within the public domain.