Adams Important Irish Art 30th September 2015 : You can Download a PDF Version from the Bottom Menu Down Arrow Icon

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Oil on board, 40 x 51cm (16 x 20”)
Signed, inscribed with title verso
Provenance: According to the artist’s records, previously in the collection of the artist Letitia Hamilton
Exhibited: “George Campbell and the Belfast Boys”, Summer Loan Show Exhibition, Adam’s, Dublin, July 2015/ The Ava Gallery, August 2015, Catalogue No.3
Literature: “George Campbell and the Belfast Boys” by Karen Reihill 2015, illustrated page 2
Attracted to Spain from childhood, George Campbell toured Spain with his wife Madge and friend Gerard Dillon in 1951. Becoming fluent in the language, a
small fishing village, Pedregalejó close to Malaga became the Campbell’s second home during the winter months till the late 1970’s.
Following visits to bullrings in the area around Malaga from the mid 1950’s, ‘Entry of The Toreros’ was likely executed when the artist painted other works on
the same theme. ‘Entry of the Picadors’ was exhibited at the Hendriks Gallery in 1957 and ‘Toreros’ was exhibited at the Hendriks Gallery in 1960. In Spain
the word ‘torero’ describes any of the performers who participate in a bullfight. Fascinated with Spanish history and culture, Campbell became friendly with
families from the bullfighting community and painted their portraits during the 1960’s and 70’s.
Campbell has captured the dramatic moment before the spectacle of a bullfight when the stars of the act, three matadors, followed by their assistants;
the ‘banderilleros’ enter the arena to marching music. Vivid hues of orange denote the anticipation of the bullfight and excitement of the crowd in rows of
climbing seats. Directly behind the Matadors the parade continues with Picadors, who follow in military fashion. Dressed in satin white suits, the Matadors
wear distinctive black hats, (‘montera’), skintight trousers, stockings, ballet type dark slippers, jackets and capes heavily embroidered in gold, green and blue
known as ‘suit of lights’ (‘traje de luces’). The suits are hand made and lavishly decorated with gold silk threads, which distinguish them from the Picadors
whose jackets, and trousers are embroidered in silver.
In recent times bullfighting has become a controversial subject but living among bullfighting families, Campbell understood its origins of performance art
from the 1700’s. Explaining his technique of painting in the Artist magazine, 1951, Campbell stated, ‘the subject itself is not important. It is what the artist
does with it that counts.’ Campbell’s bullfighting scenes focus on the atmosphere of the crowd and elaborate jewel-like costumes.
Karen Reihill September 2015
€3,000 - 5,000