Bull Baiting Collection

Bull Baiting (litho)
2793863 Bull Baiting (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Bull Baiting. Illustration for The Life of a Century, 1800 to 1900, by Edwin Hodder (George Newnes)

Animal Baiting at the Venetian Festival of the Hunt, illustration from the series Habiti d Huomini e Donne Venetiane
661032 Animal Baiting at the Venetian Festival of the Hunt, illustration from the series Habiti d Huomini e Donne Venetiane, published c.1610 (engraving) by Franco

London in the Year 1560 (engraving)
1594517 London in the Year 1560 (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: London in the Year 1560. Illustration for The Pictorial Times, 2 October 1847)

Festival of the Bulls, Campo San Polo
FTB60389 Festival of the Bulls, Campo San Polo by Heintz, Joseph, the younger (c.1600-78); Museo Correr, Venice, Italy; German, out of copyright

Map of London, from Civitates Orbis Terrarum, by Georg Braun (1542-1622
GUL58543 Map of London, from Civitates Orbis Terrarum, by Georg Braun (1542-1622) and Frans Hogenburg (1635-90), c.1572 (coloured engraving) (see also 51896 & 66112) by Hoefnagel

Plate C: The dogs let loose on the bull. ca. 1816. Creator: Francisco Goya
Plate C: The dogs let loose on the bull. ca. 1816

Plan of Bankside, Early in the Seventeenth Century, (c1878). Creator: Unknown
Plan of Bankside, Early in the Seventeenth Century, (c1878). Map showing landmarks in the village of Southwark on the south bank of the River Thames ( Thamesis Fluvius )

Plan of Bankside, Southwark, London, c1570. Showing the arenas for bull and bear baiting, the pike gardens and Winchester Park

Bankside, Southwark, London, England, seen here in Shakespeares day, showing The Bear Garden, a place used for bear-baiting

Aigues Mortes, Camargue, Provence, France, Europe

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"Bull Baiting: A Brutal Spectacle of Entertainment Through the Centuries" In the bustling streets of London, as depicted in Agas Map of London, c1561, a peculiar form of entertainment emerged - bull baiting. This bloodthirsty pastime captivated audiences from all walks of life and left an indelible mark on history. From lithographs to chromolithos, artists sought to capture the essence of this savage spectacle. Bull Baiting (litho), Bull Baiting (chromolitho), and Bull Baiting (engraving) vividly depict the fierce clash between man and beast. The images evoke a sense of both excitement and horror as powerful bulls are pitted against ferocious dogs. Not confined to England alone, animal baiting found its way into other cultures too. In Animal Baiting at the Venetian Festival of the Hunt, we glimpse a similar scene during festivities in Venice around 1610. The engraving from Habiti d Huomini e Donne Venetiane transports us back in time when such events were considered grand spectacles. Carnevale Games in Venice, 1626 showcases another instance where bull baiting took center stage amidst vibrant celebrations. As revellers reveled in merriment, brave souls faced off against raging bulls – a testament to human audacity or perhaps sheer madness. The historical significance is further emphasized by Francisco Goya's haunting depiction titled "The dogs let loose on the bull. " Created around 1816, it serves as a reminder that even renowned artists could not turn away from capturing this brutal tradition. London itself witnessed countless bouts within its boundaries as seen in Plan of Bankside Early in the Seventeenth Century. This engraving reveals how popular these events became among locals who flocked to witness these dangerous encounters firsthand. Yet despite its popularity throughout centuries past, society eventually turned away from such cruel forms of entertainment.