Culmination of the Bullfighting Season in Seville: a tribute to the art of bullfighting

The art of bullfighting has its roots in the ancient history of Spain. From cave paintings depicting bulls in prehistoric caves, to the sophisticated Lidia del toro bravo we know today, bullfighting has evolved over the centuries. This historical journey began with the initial contact with bulls, which eventually led to the creation of the unique breed of the Spanish bull. This bovine variety is today an exclusive breed, present only in the Iberian Peninsula, the south of France and some regions of Latin America.

Bullfighting, as it is practised today, dates back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries. During this period, different bullfighting schools, especially those of Seville and Navarre, began to define what would become modern bullfighting. A key moment in this evolution occurred in 1701, when Philip V, on his way to Spain to assume the throne, was honoured in Bayonne with a bullfight with bulls from Navarre. At this bullfight, the first lances de capa of the Licenciado de Falces, a precursor of the capote bullfighting we know today, could be seen, immortalised by Goya in one of his famous etchings.

The first half of the 18th century saw the birth of three legendary figures who laid the foundations of bullfighting: Joaquín Rodríguez Costillares, José Delgado Guerra ‘Pepe-Hillo’, and Pedro Romero. Since then, bullfighting has been an artistic manifestation, where life and death intertwine in a ritual that has inspired great artists and writers such as Goya, Mariano Benlliure, José Ortega y Gasset, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and Orson Welles.