220cm x 110cm (86" x 43") Spanish poster, 1935
Why I bought this:
I have a few bullfighting posters but this one is special. Sure it needs rework in the top right corner (which I hope to do soon) but otherwise the image area is very clean. To me it is a great shot of bull and matador. I do not agree with bull fighting, however I like the history and art of the posters, which probably comes from having spent 6 months in Spain.
There are a number of famous bull fighters, Manolete is probably the most famous. However Juan Belmonte is widely considered the greatest.
Belmonte revolutionised the bull fighting technique, and is credited with inventing the modern style. Previously it involved jumping out of the way of the bull at the last moment to one of standing your ground during the bulls charge, working the bull around the body, bringing the bull in to the closest distance possible to the matador. Belmonte was born in the slums of Seville. He had slightly deformed legs and could not run and jump normally which contributed to this new technique of keeping the feet firmly planted. He held the record which was not beaten for 43 years for the most corridas (bull fights) in one year (109 in 1919).
In his final years, he was diagnosed with heart disease and then lung cancer. The doctor told him to go easy and not ride horses, which he obeyed until shortly before his death. At the age of 70, his last day, he went out and rode his favorite horse, rode back to his ranch and shot himself in the head.
Belmonte retired in 1935, the year of this poster. The poster lists Belmonte as one of the Matadors that day, and I believe the image is also of Belmonte.
There is a 1995 movie of his life "
Belmonte", anybody see it? The photo below I included the CDs to sense the size of the poster.
