Bullfighting. Count Henri de Carnazet (Saint-Julien,... - Lot 310 - Conan Belleville Hôtel d'Ainay

Bullfighting. Count Henri de Carnazet (Saint-Julien, Rhône 1849-1922). Manuscript of his "Diary of our trip to Spain", kept from March 16 to April 29, 1877. Barcelona, Valencia, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Tarifa, Seville, Madrid, etc. 66 pp. in-4. Picturesque account, especially of bullfights, such as the one he attended in Castillejo with the famous matador Rafael Lajartijo (1841-1900). "More than 8,000 people were placed around the circus at the supreme moment. The weather was fine. The courtyard had taken its place in his grandstand. You could see Queen Isabelle, her three daughters, their retinue [...]. On the chairs of the balcony, many English people, some women in the big toilet [...]. Behind these seats and below, a compact crowd of men swarming with noise, smoking, spitting with rage [...]". There follows a long account of the show which both impresses him and makes him nauseous, so unbearable are the scenes of hair ripping and animal suffering. 15 horses and 6 bulls are killed in this way. "I must say that a huge movement of indignation greeted the horrible scene that I am telling [a horse completely disembowelled, walking on its guts, was raised and forced to fight again] so much the spectacle was inhuman! But there are a certain number of horses on the flank, the trumpet sounds, the banderillas prick with a grace and a lightness not exempt from danger these sticks intended to accelerate the fury of the bull. Then the matador bowed before the queen, obtained permission to kill and armed with his red cloak and sword, advanced with unheard-of assurance before the beast he almost touched, throwing himself aside as she raged against him. Then, when the beast is in the desired position, the sword will be lodged between the two shoulders where it disappears until the guard. This is a very exciting moment [...]. The supreme elegance is that the bull slowly retreats as he dies, and bends his knees to the ground, where he is able to bend his knees to the ground.