From the sheer ferocity of the bull, to the arrogance and disdain of the matador in his splendid regalia, this piece raises the fundamental question of every bullfight – whether or not the matador can cheat death with his skills, grace, and daring. This Royal Doulton collectable stands 17.5 cm in height, and is available in a limited edition of 500.
This small-size version by Alan Maslankowski was more recently released with the original Matador and Bull being the work of world-renowned modeler Peggy Davies (1920-1989). Her flair for capturing the very flow of movement and her love of complex figurines can be seen in Matador and Bull, which she created in 1963. Peggy was inspired by traditional Spanish bullfight posters, but also took the time to study the anatomy of bulls at local farms. Prestige subjects were clearly a favorite and, as she told the Leek Post and Times in 1982, “It’s the preparation and information rather than the execution of the model that takes the time.” One of the first three models to be completed was presented to Real Madrid by Stoke City Football Club. This smaller-sized version has been lovingly recreated from the original..
