#11871 Raymond Daussy (1918-)

The composition presents a scene of apparent chaos and struggle set against a stark architectural backdrop. Here we observe three figures engaged in a dynamic interaction with a bull; one man is airborne, caught mid-fall or leap over the animals back, while another kneels on the ground, seemingly attempting to restrain it. A pale horse rears up nearby, its posture suggesting agitation and mirroring the overall sense of unrest.
The color palette is dominated by deep blues and whites, creating a high contrast that emphasizes the drama unfolding within the frame. The intense blue sky above provides an unsettling stillness against the flurry of action below. The white walls, sharply defined, contribute to a feeling of enclosure and confinement, amplifying the intensity of the struggle.
The artist’s use of perspective is unusual; the figures appear flattened and somewhat detached from the space they occupy, lending a dreamlike or surreal quality to the scene. This distortion contributes to an ambiguity regarding the narrative – is this a depiction of a bullfight, a symbolic representation of conflict, or something else entirely?
The positioning of the figures suggests a complex interplay of power and vulnerability. The man in mid-air appears both defiant and precarious, while the kneeling figure’s posture conveys a sense of desperation or control. The bull itself is rendered with considerable force, its muscular form conveying raw energy. The horses presence adds another layer to this dynamic, potentially symbolizing fear, flight, or an uncontrollable element within the situation.
Subtly, theres a suggestion of ritualistic behavior; the arrangement of figures and their actions hint at a predetermined sequence, despite the apparent spontaneity of the moment. This could imply themes of tradition, fate, or the cyclical nature of conflict. The starkness of the environment further reinforces this sense of formality, suggesting that these events are unfolding within a structured context, however brutal it may be.