Juan Francisco Piferrer. [Corrida,aleluya broadside]. [Barcelone], Libreria de Piferrer, plaza del Angel, no date [ca. 1800]. Folio broadside with 48 numbered woodcut fields of bullfighting scenes printed black on recto, verso blank, on uncut chain-laid paper, with publisher’s caption at bottom : « Vendese : En la libreria de Piferrer, plaza del Angel ». 43,4 x 31,5 cm.

Original engraving Aleluyas were particularly popular in Catalonia, their structure similar to comics, but more rigid. Aleluyas include a number of images that can be evenly divided by 4 (usually 48), all images are of the same size, all fit on one page, and some of them include a brief text. Aleluyas were traditionally produced for religious festivals and celebrations, and often incorporated text with image. Often of biblical scenes, they were cut up and used as confetti when processions passed, and in some manner constituted a lottery for children. Often aleluyas illustrated moralizing texts and are therefore seen as proto-comics. The forty-eight numbered woodcuts printed on this aleluya sheet show, not without humour, various bullfighting scenes, beginning with the ceremonial entry parade, the bull goring a horse, the bull being teased by the torero, and it attacking a wine-drinking bystander. The bull appears to be invincible, but dogs are introduced, and eventually, the bull meets its grizzly end and is slaughtered.

The final eight fields are dedicated to famous toreros with their names captioned: Velazo, Moreno, Lopez, Ruiz, Mauri, Canario, and Patata.

The Piferrer publishing house was inherited by Juan Piferrer, from his father Tomas, and operated in Barcelona on the Plaza del Angel in the early 18th century. It was continued by members of his family until 1868.

5 small holes in right margin, few fowing, very good aleluya.

450 €