Los moros establecidos en Espana, prescindiendo de las supersticiones de su Alcoran, adoptaron esta caza y arte, y lancean un toro en el campo (The Moors Settled in Spain, Giving up the Superstitions of the Koran, Adopted This Art of Hunting, and Spear a Bull in the Open)

Los moros establecidos en Espana, prescindiendo de las supersticiones de su Alcoran, adoptaron esta caza y arte, y lancean un toro en el campo (The Moors Settled in Spain, Giving up the Superstitions of the Koran, Adopted This Art of Hunting, and Spear a Bull in the Open) is a significant print created by Francisco Goya in 1816. This historical Spanish work, executed during the period of 1801 to 1825, is primarily rendered through a complex combination of printmaking methods, including etching, burnished aquatint, drypoint, and burin. This use of multiple techniques allowed Goya to achieve a remarkably dynamic scene with deep tonal contrast and fine linear definition, characteristic of the best 19th-century graphic arts.

The artwork depicts a historical narrative central to the tradition of Spanish bullfighting, illustrating the moment Moorish settlers adopted the dangerous art of the chase. The figures are shown in action, expertly lancing a bull in an open landscape. Goya strategically utilizes the burnished aquatint to provide rich, atmospheric depth, contrasting sharply with the fine, nervous lines of the drypoint and etching used to delineate the charging animal and the riders. This subject places the origins of the tauromaquia in a specific historical context, suggesting a deep-rooted cultural evolution stemming from the Moorish presence in Iberia.

As an exemplary print from this period, the work showcases Goya’s profound interest in chronicling and interpreting Spanish tradition. His technical mastery is evident in the dramatic composition and the forceful rendering of movement and tension. This first edition impression resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., confirming its status as a vital piece within Goya’s prodigious output of prints. Representative of the shift toward Romantic sensibilities during the 1801 to 1825 timeframe, Los moros establecidos en Espana remains a critical study of cultural history and graphic artistry. Masterworks like this are highly valued by researchers, and historical prints of this caliber are often digitized and made available through public domain collections, ensuring continued global access to Goya’s profound visual narratives.