Civilion: Bull who Loved to Eat Flowers
“The Bull Who Loved to Eat Flowers” stands as a striking testament to the gentle soul that defied expectations. This painting captures Civilón, a legendary bull whose story echoes the tale of Ferdinand, in a moment of peaceful suspension against a backdrop of floral serenity.
The composition is simple yet profound. A black silhouette of a bull appears to float or dance across a warm, peachy-pink background adorned with delicate red flowers and green foliage. The bull’s form, rendered in deep, solid black, creates a powerful contrast that immediately draws the viewer’s eye. Despite its substantial mass, the bull appears weightless, almost ethereal in its positioning.
The artwork employs a distinctive technique that blends fresco and mural painting traditions, creating a texture that gives the piece a timeless quality. The background’s gentle gradients of peach, pink, and subtle yellow evoke the warmth of a spring morning, while the blue border frames the scene like a window into a magical realm.
What makes this piece particularly compelling is how it challenges conventional imagery associated with bulls. Instead of depicting power and aggression, the artist captures a moment of pure joy and lightness. The bull’s posture suggests playfulness and freedom, with its limbs extended in what appears to be a floating dance among the flowers.
The scattered red blooms throughout the composition do more than add visual interest; they tell the story of Civilón’s gentle nature. Each flower serves as a testament to the bull’s unique character – a creature who chose to nourish himself on beauty rather than engage in combat. The green stems and leaves provide a natural rhythm across the canvas, guiding the viewer’s eye through the composition.
This painting stands as a reminder that strength can manifest in gentleness, and that being true to one’s nature – however unconventional – holds its own kind of beauty.
STORY
BEHIND PAINTING
CIVILÓN BLOG
Civilón, the magnificent ebony bull was bred for the thrilling corridas. 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 “Estampa”. 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.
