Another Way of Hunting on Foot - Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes

A striking etching and aquatint from Goya's La Tauromaquia series, depicting a raw, rural bullfighting scene with masterful use of light and shadow.

Another Way of Hunting on Foot is a plate from the series La Tauromaquia, a collection of thirty-three prints by Francisco Goya. Published in 1816, this series documents the history and practice of bullfighting in Spain. Goya employs a combination of etching and aquatint to achieve the atmospheric tonal shifts that define the work. The aquatint provides a soft, granular texture across the background, which contrasts with the sharper, more aggressive lines used to render the figures of the men and the bull.

The composition captures a moment of physical tension. Two men, positioned on opposite sides of the animal, engage the bull with spears. Their postures are low and strained, conveying the exertion required for this method of hunting. Unlike the formalised arena combat seen in other plates of the series, this scene depicts a more raw, rural encounter. The background is sparse, consisting of a simple horizon line and a few trees, which keeps the focus entirely on the interaction between the hunters and their prey.

Goya was a master of the print medium, and his technical skill is evident in the way he manages light and shadow to create a sense of volume and movement. The figures appear grounded in the space, their forms emerging from the sepia tones of the paper. This print offers a glimpse into the cultural practices of early nineteenth-century Spain, stripped of romanticised embellishment. It is a direct observation of human struggle and animal instinct. The work remains a primary example of Goya's ability to capture the visceral nature of his subjects through the disciplined application of printmaking techniques.