Bullfighting is a traditional sport with a long history, and it is the national sport and a source of pride for the Spanish people. Traditional bullfighting started as a religious ceremony in the 13th century during the reign of King Alfonso X, but it later evolved into an athletic competition and performance. Even today, on the Iberian Peninsula and worldwide, bullfighting is seen as an ancient and noble art, representing Spanish character. The sport is intoxicating; it has an intrepid, primal energy, evincing the wisdom and courage of modern civilization, as well as a wild and romantic spirit.

After his father first took him to a bullfight at age eight, this traditional sport would hold a special lifelong fascination for Picasso. From 1889 to 1890, Picasso painted his first work, Le petit picador jaune, in which a bullfighter on horseback in an arena is depicted from a spectator’s perspective. From 1900 to 1901, he created another series of oil and pastel works depicting bullfighting scenes, which were the first set of works that he sold. In 1937, he painted an unyielding bull turning its head in the epic Guernica, a painting intended as a denunciation of fascist atrocities. From there, we look to the heroic, dashing portrait in Buste de matador (Lot 8005), shown at this Evening Sale. Bullfighting might be considered the most important subject in Picasso’s seven-decade career.

Buste de matador was created in 1970, which was an important year in Picasso’s life and art. In that year, he and his second wife Jacqueline Roque attended the last bullfight of his life in Fréjus, and he was inspired to paint the fifteen oil paintings that would comprise the last bullfighting series of his life. That same year, he generously donated 921 works to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, laying the foundation for later generations to study his work. The last masterwork in the same series, Le matador, sold for £16.5 million (HK$177.8 million) at Sotheby’s London Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale in 2018. Buste de matador, dated 27 September 1970, is the first painting in this matador series. This piece at the Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring Sale will showcase one of the most important themes in Picasso’s life and art.

Buste de matador has a rich exhibition history. Since its completion, it has been shown in important solo exhibitions at many French and American art museums and published in many exhibition catalogues. In 1973, an important retrospective “Picasso 1970 – 1972” was held at the Palais des Papes in Avignon. The show was single-handedly planned by Jacqueline Roque, presenting the artist’s masterpieces from 1970 to 1972. Three small, tightly framed oil paintings were exhibited together with this work, which were created the same day as Buste de matador. In terms of composition and color, they echo Buste de matador, and they could be considered important preparatory works for this painting. One of them was part of Roque’s private collection. Buste de matador is a synthesis of these three pieces, giving the work great meaning and weight. Picasso was possessed of extraordinary inspiration even as the artist, by then already legendary, was entering the final chapter of his life. In 2013, on the 40th anniversary of Picasso’s death, the Grimaldi Forum and the Nahmad family collection held the first large-scale exhibition of Picasso’s work from a single private family collection. “Picasso in the Nahmad Collection” presented 116 works that the family had collected over half a century and spanned the artist’s entire creative career (1901 – 1972). This was the first time that the majority of these artworks had been shown to the public. Buste de matador was one of the works carefully selected to represent Picasso’s late output, underscoring the work’s historical importance.

Using the Spanish Civil War and World War II as temporal markers, Picasso’s career can be roughly divided into three periods. The first was the pre-war period when Picasso was exploring and establishing his personal painting style (1901 – 1936). The second was the period stretching from the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War to the end of World War II (1936 –1945). The third was the post-war period (1946 –1972). After the smoke of national and global conflict settled, the world order had changed completely. Picasso experienced the rebuilding of European society, and he witnessed the political and economic decline of Spain, which certainly awakened his desire to revive the traditions of his people. However, he also had an older artist’s sense of urgency when confronted with mortality; he transformed the important task of revival and the desire to resist his fate into unprecedented creative passion and power. He started to return to the tradition of the Spanish Golden Age, drawing inspiration from classical portraits. With these pieces, he created his own late golden age, once again leaving his mark on the history of art.

The figure in the painting has a piercing expression, full of tenderness and concern. We can infer that Picasso was paying tribute to his wife with this matador, expressing his undying affection. According to archival materials, works in this same series were painted especially for Jacqueline Roque, such as Le matador (195 x 130 cm) dated 14 October. This figure with long orange hair in Buste de matador was developed in three drafts, and iterations of the figure appear in many other works from the same series. According to the Picasso in the Nahmad Collection exhibition catalogue, the bullfighter depicted in this series could be modeled on a matador from Mozambique that Picasso saw in 1970. Because this painting is the first work in the series, it has been invested with his most intense emotions and experimental ideas. This painting lays a decisive foundation for the fourteen other oil paintings in the series. It brings together the heroic figure of the matador and the artist’s tender feelings for his wife; these multiple meanings give this painting a special place in this series.

The Minotaur, which appears repeatedly in Picasso’s work, is a part-man, part-bull creature from ancient Greek mythology. Picasso’s use of this motif in the war years could be considered a manifestation of his internal struggles and anxieties. In the post-war period, this symbol of power and fertility became his alter ego, and the sport of bullfighting the sacred vessel for his undying spirit.

Compared with his youthful passion for bullfighting, the subject of Buste de matador clearly reflects the artist’s deeper understanding of time and life. He elevated his previous objective description of an athletic contest to the free expression of his inner emotions, making this painting the best representation of Picasso’s late work and later life. For him, bullfighting symbolized power and courage, and the dramatic contest was loaded with intense clashes between vital passions. In a sense, Picasso’s images of matadors were reflections of different sides to his personality, and they were his final weapons against the inexorable march of time.

In the 1988 catalogue Late Picasso for the Tate Gallery London, Marie-Laure Bernadac, noted curator of the Louvre, wrote: “(The subject) always plays a part, or wears a disguise: as a painter at work or as a matador-musketeer…Picasso’s confrontation with the human face…brings him back to a confrontation with himself, the painter, young or old.”

As his life entered its final chapter, Picasso was anything but the stereotype of a frail, aged man. His vigorous spirit, boundless ambition, and status as titan of the art world are all evident in Buste de matador. This painting is the initial work in the final matador series of Picasso’s life, and in terms of artistic experimentation, historical significance, and scholarly value, the piece is extraordinary. It is a great achievement from Picasso’s essential years, but his post-war portraits also reflect his desire to restore his nation’s glory and peel back the layers of history. Buste de matador contains both Picasso’s resistance to his own fate and an acknowledgement of the march of history. Works from his pre-war and wartime periods have already been much discussed, but Picasso’s post-war works have more historical significance and leave more room for scholarly study.

In 2018, Le matador (146 x 114.3 cm), the last work in this series, sold at the Sotheby’s London Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale for £16.5 million (HK$177.8 million). A steady stream of several other works of a similar size and subject matter have been offered at international auction in the last decade. Mousquetaire à la pipe (195 x 130 cm) sold for US$31 million (HK$240 million) in 2013, Homme à l’épée (145.6 x 114.3 cm) sold for US$22.6 million (HK$175 million) in 2015, and Mousquetaire et nu assis (130 x 96.5 cm) sold for £13.7 million (HK$149.4 million) in 2018. This spring, Buste de matador will be offered at the Sotheby’s Hong Kong Modern Art Evening Sale, presenting an excellent opportunity to explore an achievement of Western modern art from the perspective of Asian modern art, one that is sure to generate immense market and academic interest in Picasso’s post-war work.

鬥牛是一項歷史悠久的傳統競技，更是西班牙人引以為傲的國技。最早在阿爾達米拉岩洞中發現的新石器時代的壁畫裡，已可發現一些記錄著人與牛搏鬥的描繪，並且據史書記載，曾經統治西班牙的古羅馬統帥凱撒大帝亦十分熱衷於騎馬鬥牛。而正統的西班牙鬥牛文化起源自公元13世紀西班牙國王阿方索十世祭神的宗教儀式傳統，而後逐漸演變為與牛搏鬥的賽事表演，並在貴族間流行，直至18世紀中葉，這項運動才由皇室貴族的專利傳至民間，現代鬥牛運動由此初具雛形，並成為舉國歡騰的民間慶典。時至今日，在伊比利亞半島上，乃至全球範疇，鬥牛仍被視為一種古老而高貴的藝術，它代表著西班牙人粗獷而豪爽的民族天性，既帶有人類祖先捕獵般勇猛精悍的原始能量，又展現了現代文明的智慧與膽識，在具有爆發性的野性中展現極致的浪漫情懷，令人痴醉神迷。

自八歲時首次被父親帶到鬥牛場起，這項西班牙國寶級傳統競技便成為畢加索魂牽夢繞一生的創作靈感，他在不同創作時期以各種形式探索鬥牛這一主題：由1889至1890年藝術家創作的第一幅畫作《小皮卡爾多》中從觀眾視角描繪競技場內一名馬背上的鬥牛士；1900至1901年再次創作以鬥牛場景為題的油畫及粉彩作品，並成為其有史以來第一批售出的畫作；1937年為控訴法西斯暴行而創作的史詩名作《格爾尼卡》中舉首顧盼、木然屹立的公牛形象；再到是次晚拍亮相的《鬥牛士》（拍品編號8005）中英姿颯爽的劍客肖像，鬥牛可謂貫通藝術家七十餘年創作生涯的最重要主題。本畫誕生的1970年，對於畢加索個人乃至藝術史範疇而言，是一個至關重要的年份，期間藝術家不僅在弗雷瑞斯與第二任妻子賈桂琳一同觀賞了人生最後一場鬥牛賽事，並由此開啟人生最終鬥牛士系列之十五件創作，同年還將921幅畫作慷慨捐獻給巴塞隆納畢加索博物館典藏，奠定後世對其藝術創作心路的研究基礎。此系列最後一幅鉅作《鬥牛士》在2018年倫敦蘇富比印象派與現代藝術晚間拍場上以16,521,500英鎊（約177,758,719港幣）高價成交，而創作於1970年9月27日的本畫則是這鬥牛士系列油畫之開篇，糅合畢加索一生中最重要的生命認知和藝術元素，如今登陸香港蘇富比拍場，將與藏家一同見證這位天才藝術家從零到有的崇高藝術巡禮。

本畫展歷極為豐富，自完成起便先後參與法國與美國多個美術館等機構舉辦的藝術家重要個展，並收錄於相應展覽圖冊中，包括亞維農教皇宮、邁阿密藝術中心、夏洛特杰拉德·梅爾伯格畫廊及格里瑪律迪廣場議政殿。其中，1973年於亞維農的教皇宮舉辦的回顧展〈畢加索1970-1972〉（Picasso 1970-1972）蔚為重要，展覽由賈桂琳一手籌劃，展示藝術家1970至1972年的傑作，當年與本畫一同展出的作品中有三幅小型頭部特寫油畫，創作於本畫誕生的同一日，無論從構圖到用色均與本畫相互呼應，可視為本畫的重要初稿，其中一幅更為賈桂琳私人珍藏，本畫匯聚三幅初稿之大成，象徵著一代傳奇大師為藝術而瘋狂的人生最終章，意義與分量實乃無與倫比；2013年，適逢畢翁逝世四十週年之際，摩納哥格里瑪律迪廣場議政殿聯手著名藝術收藏家族納哈邁德家族舉辦了畢翁首個由單一私人家族珍藏藝術家大型展覽〈納哈邁德珍藏之畢加索作品〉，共展出其珍藏半世紀之久並涵蓋藝術家完整創作生涯（1901-1972年）的116件作品，其中大部分作品更是首次公之於眾，本畫作為經過精挑細選的參展晚年代表作之一，其重要地位不言而喻。

畢加索藝術創作歷程可被劃分為代表不同風格的多個階段，而每個階段與相應時代背景皆密不可分，若按西班牙內戰爆發及第二次世界大戰的起始時間為節點，可大致歸納為三個階段：首先是1901-1936年期間藝術家不斷探索和確立個人繪畫語言的二戰前時期，期間畢加索全心投入藝術創作以對抗第一次世界大戰之陰雲，經典風格包括「藍色時期」、「粉紅色時期」（又稱「玫瑰時期」）、「立體主義時期」等；其次是1936-1945年西班牙內戰爆發至第二次世界大戰結束期間的戰時階段，期間作品多以痛斥德國納粹主義無良暴行為主旨；最後則是1946-1972年的戰後時期，彼時二戰硝煙欲散，全球格局翻天覆地，畢加索不但親歷歐洲社會的戰後重建，更目睹了祖國西班牙在政治和經濟上的日漸衰落，這無疑喚醒了藝術家對民族傳統復興的渴求；同時，步入晚年的藝術家面對有限生命時間的緊迫感，毫不畏懼，將時代復興的重任與個人命運的抗爭精神轉化為前所未有的創作激情與動力，正如其所言：「我擁有的時間越來越少，要講的話卻越來越多。」他開始回顧西班牙黃金時代的傳統，向古典肖像畫尋求靈感，反而成就了其事業中豐收的黃金晚年時期，並再次創寫藝術史上的奇蹟。

流淌於血液的民族熱情和西班牙文化的歸屬感促使晚年的畢加索專注於對民族文化與榮耀的守護，他在這最後一系列鬥牛系列作品中不斷重溫具有西班牙民族特色的古典裝扮，一如《鬥牛士》中：

縱觀同系列其他十餘件作品中對於鬥牛士神情的刻畫，有怒目圓睜，或嚴肅銳利，亦有左顧右盼，或漂浮不定，而本畫中人物眼神目光如炬且含情脈脈，盡顯柔情和關切，不難推測畢加索以畫中鬥牛士的形象向愛妻賈桂琳致敬，表達對其至死不渝的情意和依賴，事實上，據史料記載，同系列中確實有專門獻給賈桂琳之作，比如10月14日所畫之《鬥牛士》。同時，畫中橘辮側垂的形象不僅在三幅初稿中出現，在之後的同系列多件作品中亦有跡可循，據〈納哈邁德珍藏之畢加索作品〉展覽圖冊中記載，此系列所刻畫的鬥牛士極有可能以1970年觀看的鬥牛賽事中一位來自莫桑比克的鬥牛士為原型，本畫作為此系列中的第一幅，無疑是藝術家將其最為豐富的情感於最具實驗性的創作意圖訴諸於畫面之作，它的誕生為同系列其餘十四張油畫作品奠定了舉足輕重的基礎，結合畫中鬥牛士的英雄氣概與愛妻的溫柔關懷，多重意涵造就了本畫在這一系列中無與倫比的特殊地位。

反復出現在畢加索作品中的米諾陶的形象，是出自於希臘神話一個著名的半人半牛的野獸。若將戰爭年代藝術家對此形象的運用視為其內心掙扎與焦灼的寄託，到了戰後時期，這頭象徵著力量與豐饒的生物無形之中已化作他另一半的自我，而鬥牛運動正是其抒發內心至死不渝的抗爭精神的神聖載體。

畢加索於1970年夏末觀看了人生最後一場鬥牛比賽，它不僅再度激發其對西班牙傳統習俗的文化想像，更喚醒了晚年藝術家對自身青年狀態過往的無限緬懷。正如作家海明威曾發出的感嘆：「鬥牛是唯一一種使藝術家處於生命威脅之中的藝術。」鬥牛是力量與勇氣的象徵，它暴力卻優雅，歡欣而悲壯，其戲劇化的競技過程滿載生之慾望的激烈碰撞，讓年事已高的畢加索產生了強烈的共鳴。

反觀藝術家早年對於鬥牛運動的刻畫，尚能窺見其早年受愛德華·馬奈與法蘭西斯科·戈雅筆下鬥牛場景的熏陶。以其創作於1900至1901年的鬥牛主題畫作為例，多以實景廣角描繪激烈的鬥牛過程，將陽光普照的鬥牛場與氣氛緊張的鬥牛儀式統統納入筆下，生動而炫目，這批作品在藝術家於巴黎安布魯瓦茲·沃拉爾畫廊舉行首場展覽期間大獲成功。相比年輕力壯時期對於這項運動純粹的熱愛之情，《鬥牛士》中則明顯融入了藝術家對時間與生命更深層次的解讀，由對一場賽事的客觀描繪，昇華為內心情感的自由表達，這也造就了本畫成為審視畢加索晚年創作與生活的最佳寫照：鬥牛士的形象從某種意義上而言成為了畢翁不同個性的自我映射，更是化身其對抗時間之不可抗力的終極武器。

如同法國盧浮宮著名策展人瑪麗-勞爾·貝爾納克在一九八八年於倫敦泰特畫廊舉行的〈畢加索晚年作品〉展覽撰文中所言：「（這個主題）經常出現，化妝成工作中的畫家或鬥牛士兼劍客……畢加索直擊人類面相，使他成為二十世紀偉大的肖像畫家；亦引導他直面自我，無懼年少或年邁。」

對於畢翁而言，在生命即將走入最終章之際，他打破藝術家年老力衰的刻板印象，反而發揮出驚於常人的旺盛創造力，他晚年飽滿的精神面貌、萬丈的雄心壯志以及作為藝壇一代王者之風範，透過《鬥牛士》的描繪一覽無遺。本畫作為畢加索人生最後一個鬥牛系列之首，無論藝術實驗性、歷史意義還是學術價值都堪稱超群絕倫，它不僅是畢加索畢生藝術精髓之歲月碩果，更代表著藝術家晚年肖像畫中振興民族榮耀的隱喻和時代面貌的歷史沉澱，它見證了藝術家個人命運與歷史齒輪的多重交疊，從這個角度而言，相對於討論度和話題性已然登峰造極的戰前與戰時兩大階段，畢翁戰後時期的作品反而具有更重要的歷史意義及更廣闊的學術研究空間。

2018年倫敦蘇富比印象派及現代藝術晚拍亮相的同系列最後一幅油畫作品《鬥牛士》以16,521,500英鎊（約177,758,719港幣）高價成交；此系列之外，近十年來國際拍賣場上出現的相近題材及尺幅的作品亦呈現穩健而強勁的走勢，包括2013年以30,965,000美元（約240,028,294港幣）成交的《火槍手與煙斗》，2015年以22,565,000美元（約174,923,880港幣）成交的《男人與劍》及2018年以13,733,750英鎊（約149,438,780港幣）成交的《火槍手與裸女》等，如今《鬥牛士》於香港蘇富比現代藝術春季晚拍隆重登場，正是世人立足亞洲現代藝術的視角來探索西方現代藝術成就的最佳切入點，勢必造就市場及學術界對於藝術家戰後時期創作的現象級討論。通過本畫審視這位天才的傳奇一生，世人將身臨其境地感受到其作品中獨步古今的前瞻性與突破性，就像愛因斯坦當年想像宇宙重力波的存在，畢加索亦在我們平凡的世界裡看到了未知的可能，遠在我們目光所及之前。