Picasso, Pamplona and the Running of the Bulls in Espana

Running of the Bulls 08
Originally uploaded by BullRunning

Picasso used the image of the bull and the Minotaur, the bull-man, in a huge amount of his art. And he loved attending bull fights.

Which brings us to Bull Running in Spain:

Bull running in Pamplona

Every year from July 7th-14th thousands pack into Pamplona to start Spain's most famous bull-running fiesta to honour Navarre capital's patron saint, San Fermin.

Spain stages more than 3,000 fiestas (festivals) each year but the 7 days of bull-running are the favourite in terms of spectacle and excitement.

After the daybreak of July 7th, runners (mainly young men) gather at the bottom of Santo Domingo, which is the starting line. They crowd together and sing to the image of San Fermin which is placed in a niche on a wall.

Then, as a rocket goes off, a number of fighting bulls are let out onto the streets.

The bulls run along the narrow street half a mile to a bull ring. The runners dash along in front of the bulls, aiming to feel the breath of the bull on their backs, getting as close as possible - all whilst trying to avoid getting gored by their sharp horns.

When the bulls finally reach the end of the street, they go into pens and are kept until later that day they are killed in a bullfight.

The tradition dates to the 1500's. The first to accompany the bulls - not running before them - were the men of the Butcher's Guild of Pamplona.

See machismo: "A strong or exaggerated sense of masculinity stressing attributes such as physical courage, virility, domination of women, and aggressiveness."
aka "macho."

See also bull fights, bull riding and the Cretan sport of bull leaping, about 1500 BC.