Les Banderilles 1959

This 1959 linogravure, Les Banderilles, by Pablo Picasso forms part of his celebrated bullfighting series published by Cercle d'Art. As plate 37, it captures one of the most dramatic moments in the corrida—the placement of the banderillas, barbed sticks thrust into the bull’s shoulders to heighten both spectacle and tension.

Unlike the suspended stillness of Avant la pique, this composition is charged with movement and fragmentation. The bull dominates the scene as a dense, dark mass, its body rendered in sweeping, almost calligraphic strokes. Around it, figures of the banderilleros and attendants appear fractured and elongated, their forms bending and interlocking within a compressed space.

Picasso’s use of the linocut medium is particularly expressive here. The surface is alive with incised marks—scratches, gouges, and rhythmic lines—that create a sense of agitation and immediacy. The contrast between deep black and warm ochre tones heightens the drama, suggesting both the physical violence of the act and the theatricality of the arena.

The composition feels almost claustrophobic. Rather than presenting a clear, open setting, Picasso compresses the action into a tightly woven field of forms. This intensifies the emotional impact, drawing the viewer into the chaos and energy of the moment. The bull, central and powerful, becomes both a physical presence and a symbolic force.

Bullfighting, a recurring subject throughout Picasso’s career, served as a vehicle for exploring themes of ritual, confrontation, and mortality. In Les Banderilles, these themes are amplified through abstraction. The figures are not individualized portraits but archetypes—participants in a ritualized drama that transcends time and place.

Stylistically, the work demonstrates Picasso’s late innovation in printmaking. His linocuts of this period pushed the boundaries of the medium, embracing its raw qualities rather than disguising them. The visible cuts and textures become integral to the image, reinforcing its intensity and immediacy.

There is also a strong sense of rhythm within the composition. Curving lines and repeating shapes guide the eye across the surface, echoing the circular movement of the bullring itself. This visual rhythm mirrors the choreography of the corrida, where each action follows a ritualized sequence.

Today, Les Banderilles stands as a powerful example of Picasso’s ability to distill a complex, emotionally charged event into a bold and modern visual language. Through its interplay of form, texture, and contrast, the print captures not just a moment in the bullfight, but the visceral essence of the spectacle itself.

Linocut

Abstract - Bullfight

Pl. 37 Editions Cercle d'Art à Paris

Good condition