Artwork

El famoso Americano, Mariano Ceballos (The Famous American, Mariano Ceballos)

El famoso Americano, Mariano Ceballos (The Famous American, Mariano Ceballos) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Francisco Goya. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Francisco Goya’s 1825 lithograph, titled *El famoso Americano, Mariano Ceballos*, captures a moment from a bullfight. Executed on wove paper and printed in Bordeaux by the firm Gaulon, the work belongs to Goya’s later period of graphic production. Though the rider named in the title appears within the scene, the composition emphasizes the overall tumult of the arena rather than a single portrait.

Subject & Meaning

The image portrays a chaotic bullfight: a horseman leans forward, attempting to restrain a charging bull, while other participants wield sticks and scramble amid the fray. Spectators line the fence in the background, suggesting public fascination with the spectacle. Goya’s choice of this theme reflects his ongoing interest in popular Spanish pastimes and the social dynamics surrounding them.

Technique & Style

Created through lithography, the print exhibits rapid, sketch‑like lines that convey motion and urgency. The loose handling of the medium allows for a sense of immediacy, mirroring the frenetic energy of the bullring. Goya’s use of contrast between dark figures and lighter background areas heightens the drama without detailed rendering.

History & Provenance

The lithograph was produced in Bordeaux, France, by the Gaulon workshop, an early center for lithographic printing. It forms part of Goya’s late graphic oeuvre, a period when he explored new print technologies beyond his earlier etchings and aquatints. The work has circulated among collections of 19th‑century prints, illustrating Goya’s international reach.

Context

Bullfighting occupied a prominent place in Spanish cultural life during the early 19th century, and Goya repeatedly returned to the subject in both paintings and prints. This piece aligns with his broader engagement with contemporary events, offering a visual commentary on a popular yet perilous tradition.