Who is Civilón?

From his tender moments with the flower-feeding girl, to becoming the talk of Spain, this ebony bull’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

Civilón, the magnificent ebony bull was bred for the thrilling corridas. Mind you, his first taste of fame comes not from the arena, but from a gentle touch—a young girl named Carmelita feeding him flowers, a moment that became Spain’s sensation and graced the covers of the Spanish magazines. As Civilón prepares for his first grand fight, the looming shadow of Franco’s fascism taints the air.

This, however, does not stop the manager of the Barcelona’s bullring from summoning Civilón for epic showdown. And epic it was! The audience was profoundly moved by the bull’s display of nobility, known as “nobeleza”. At the height of the spectacle, as the crowd’s fervor meets the bull’s might, an unexpected cry rises: a plea for mercy, for “un indulto”. Civilón was pardoned. But not saved! With Spain on the cusp of war, Civilón’s fate is hanging by a thread. Although seemingly destined to spend the rest of his life on a farm, enjoying the pastures with the best of cows, death triumphs on the second day of the Spanish Civil War when a group of soldiers find Civilón in a barn, kill him and feast on his flesh.