Toros: De El Cordobés a Espartaco

Bullfighting may not be an obvious subject for a caricaturist to tackle but Fernando Vinyes has succeeded in this pack with great aplomb. Fifty-two named bullfighters – from El Cordobés to Espartaco – are featured in different humorous situations, with impresarios on the two Jokers. The suit-signs have been adapted to depict an aerial view of a bullring (coins), a glass of wine (cups), a rapier (swords), and a banderilla (batons). The indices are in English. On the back are the symbols of various ganaderías (bull ranches) against a pink background, plus the name of the Spanish daily newspaper, Ya, which ran from 1935 to 1996.

Above: “Toros: De El Cordobés a Espartaco” bullfighting playing cards with drawings by Fernando Vinyes i Riera for the Spanish newspaper Ya, made by Heraclio Fournier, S.A., Vitoria, Spain, 1988. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 title card in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm.

The back design is reproduced on the back of the box • see the box►

References

Denning, Trevor: The Playing-Cards of Spain, Cygnus Arts, London, 1996, page 126.

Fournier Museum Catalogue, Vol. III, Spain 1065.

Fernando Vinyes i Riera (Barcelona 1941-1999) was a bullfight critic, draughtsman and caricaturist. He was a founding member of the International Association of Bullfighting Documentalists and Statisticians (ATIDE) • Biography at La Real Academia de la Historia: Vinyes Riera, Fernando►