'Bullfight: The Pas De Deux' Offers Stunning Images Of Spanish Bullfights (PHOTOS)

The following is an excerpt from Bullfight: The Pas de Deux by Ricardo B. Sanchez, out now from Glitterati.

A bullfight is above all about the demonstration of style, technique and courage displayed by its participants. While there is usually little doubt about the outcome, the bull is not viewed as a sacrificial victim -- it is instead seen by the audience as a worthy adversary, deserving of respect in its own right.

In this public spectacle, highly trained men known as bullfighters (in exceptional cases, women), perform with, and ceremonially kill, selectively bred bulls. Identified as a "corrida de toros" in Spanish, the bullfight takes place in a large outdoor arena or bullring known as the "plaza de toros."

In the cultures of Spain, Southern France, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, bullfighting is an integral part of national culture. The aesthetic of bullfighting is based on the interaction of the man and the bull. Rather than a competitive sport, the bullfight is considered a ritual to be judge by aficionados, based on artistic impression and command. Ernest Hemingway astutely observed in his book, Death in the Afternoon: "Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death and in which the degree of brilliance in the performance is left to the fighter's honor."

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[Jerry Bourbon]

04:07 PM on 01/24/2012

I go to the Bullfights in Tijuana whenever possible. What an excuse to drink beer and party!

[Lauren Kottwitz]

10:06 PM on 01/04/2012

Ooookay, well the photos are fine, though I know for a fact that the effect is nothing too difficult. And there is a level of artistry in the performance, the dance, the costume, and the photographs. Unfortunately, they do little to display the utter cruelty with which these animals die. I find myself torn between wanting to let it be (just because it is a cultural tradition that I do not understand or think is nice doesn't mean it isn't important for the culture that embraces it) and wanting to get all up on my high horse about it (because it's barbaric, horrifying).

The photos themselves, though... meh.

[shutterbabe]

07:59 PM on 01/04/2012

As a photographer I can attest that it is not technically difficult to create these kind of images, that blurry slow dance as seen above. I do not wish to take away from Ricardo's Sanchez's craft. One or two of these captures have some elegance.

I lived in Mexico for over a decade and never attended a bullfight despite my love for this country and immersing myself in its culture. I do not find any artistry in the torture of innocent animals to satisfy a bloodlust sport.

If anyone is interested in learning more about what is done to these animals, before, during and after this spectacle, please check out this link. The facts will eliminate any myth that has been perpetuated through flashy photographs or senseless acts of grandeur. 

http://www.stopbullfighting.org.uk/facts.htm

[mira chancleta]

09:45 PM on 01/03/2012

Stunning photography?

Yeah, stunning like being hit in the head by a baseball bat and as "artistic".

Somebody get this "photographer" a tri-pod or better camera or another profession.

[The Greatest Days]

03:45 PM on 01/03/2012

Regardless of whether you find bullfighting acceptable or not, I am sure we can all agree on one thing: These photos are lame.

[Always For Real]

03:03 AM on 01/03/2012

I fully agree that as humans we need to evolve past this type of "artful entertainment." Unfortunately, we're not there yet and you can't make the world align itself to your views. So come on, quite sounding like a bunch of whiners!

And get real.

Much worse is being done by humans without "art" even being a part of it (Saddam's recently broadcast demise with a "bull's horn" up his posterior, for example). Humans are killing humans all around the globe. Soldiers dismembering fallen enemy soldiers for "trophy" parts. Drug cartel decapitations. Young girls sold into prostitution. Puberty rituals that forcibly mutilate girls private parts being passed off as "culture." Let's not overlook genocide and the millions dying of starvation. The list of atrocities we commit is very long.

You say bullfighting is:

murderous
barbaric
inhuman
agonizing
despicable
torturous
heinous
sadistic
disgusting
horrifying­

You're so horribly put off by bullfighting? Really? From many posting here, apparently so, even to say:

"Death to matadors"

Bullfighting is so repulsive to you that you wish for the death of the HUMAN bullfighter? Really? Are you insane? What a repulsive thing to hear from people that like to believe they're at the leading edge of human evolution! Get a grip. Get some perspective and find your humanity.

Now, as far as the quality of the bullfighting pics, well, they suck!

[Gay Iberian]

03:35 PM on 01/02/2012

Bullfighting is a disgusting sport where the animal is tortured and sacrificed for the mere sport of it to entertain people who enjoy blood and gore and watch animals and humans get killed or maimed. It is a cultural sport that many Spaniards are against, especially in Catalonia where it is outlawed, and a cultural event that is creating much controversy in many regions of Spain.

[Fran Jaime]

09:11 PM on 01/01/2012

Disgusting animal cruelty turned into "stunning" photos? Repulsive!

[Goldie Treasure]

03:13 AM on 01/01/2012

I think that instead of stunning the word should be disgusting, vulgar, senseless, violent.

[bioShell]

03:32 AM on 12/30/2011

Killing animals is not a sport, specially a weakened/wounded animal.

[Alexander FiskeHarrison]

06:01 PM on 12/27/2011

I am always amazed by the number of people who actually want to see people gored by animals on these comment section. It shows that there dominant emotion is violent anger and hatred against a fellow animal, not love. Come and join the argument at my blog: 'The Last Arena.' Alexander Fiske-Harrison (bullfighter, author)

[wwwnyc]

12:19 PM on 12/27/2011

I think we need to realize that this is a cultural tradition that is to be respected, suddenly, everyone in this world has become a bleary eyed homogenized zombie that is against the documentation of a cultural phenom, also did you guys do your research these were taken in the 80s/ early 90s.

[Scorpiaux]

07:43 PM on 12/23/2011

I just noticed that this article was placed under the Life & Style category. I think this article belongs in the Death & Style category.

[Christopher Penning]

07:33 PM on 12/27/2011

Some pretty ignorant comments from the anti taurinos. Another pretentious title and the bullfight photos are poor. There are some much better ones on the Club Taurino of London website. www.ctol.org

[Morantista]

02:57 PM on 12/23/2011

Toreo is not a sport or a fight. It is a beautiful and dangerous art form where the artist can be killed at any time during the performance. It is an art form that poets, painters, sculptors, writers and composers have recognized as such throughout history by paying homage in their own art--just as this photographer has done. Bravo, Mr. Sanchez!

[Scorpiaux]

07:39 PM on 12/23/2011

Based on your intellectualizing killing as being an art form, why not raise the art form another notch and have the matadors take on Komodo dragons? Maybe a lion or two? Or a bear?

I also think we need to put bears on a level playing field with hunters. We should have another Constitutional amendment to arm bears. They can then shoot it out at high noon with a human in a thick forest.

[Fran Jaime]

09:14 PM on 01/01/2012

Or we could bring back gladiators! Only change would be that they would be there coluntarily for the "art" of it!

[Starvin-Marvin]

02:47 PM on 12/23/2011

Well
When we put our emotions aside;
A bull with a free life, year after year, and a cruel death
versus a bull or cow with a life in 'megastables', hardly seen daylight, don't have space...but a nice, sedated death
For the 1st you can go to the Arena..for the 2nd you can take a look at your plate tonight