André Masson
Tauromachie
1936
Scroll
André Masson
Tauromachie
1936
Physical Qualities
Oil on canvas, 32 × 39 1/2 in. (81.3 × 100.3 cm.)
Framed: 33 1/2 × 41 × 2 in. (85.1 × 104.1 × 5.1 cm.)
Credit Line
The Cone Collection, formed by Dr. Claribel Cone and Miss Etta Cone of Baltimore, Maryland
Object Number
1950.349
André Masson
born Balagny-sur-Thérain, France1896; died Paris, France 1987
Tauromachie
1937
Oil on canvas
Tauromachie, André Masson’s most ambitious treatment of the bull fight theme, draws heavily upon Pablo Picasso’s (1881–1973) painting Guernica, which was completed shortly before this work was finished. Both images employ grief-stricken hand gestures, beseeching open-mouths, up-turned faces, and collapsing horses. Masson’s work appears to represent the bullfighter twice in mirrored figures: above, sleeping and dreaming his own death, and below, wide awake and conscious of his horrific predicament. The painting underscores the psychic contrast between dreaming and wakeful states.
The Cone Collection, BMA 1950.349
The Baltimore Museum of Art by bequest, 1949; Etta Cone, Baltimore, by purchase; December 1, 1942; Saidie A. May, Baltimore, by purchase, 1937; Galerie Simon, Paris
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Modern French Art," November 8, 1938 - November 27, 1938, no. 14 (exhibited as "Bull-fight").
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings by André Masson," October 31, 1941 - November 22, 1941, no. 15.
Judith Durrer, Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland, "Masson: Massaker, Metamorphoses, Mythologien," September 13, 1996 - November 24, 1996, cat. no. 26.
William Jeffett, Salvador Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, FL, "André Masson: The 1930s," October 1, 1999 - January 16, 2000, no. 25.
Eric M. Zafran, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, "Impressionism to Surrealism from The Baltimore Museum of Art," February 8, 2002 - April 21, 2002, no. 21.
Josefina Alix, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, "André Masson 1896-1987," January 29, 2004 - April 19, 2004.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, "Surrealism at 100", November 8, 2025 - February 16, 2026.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings by André Masson," October 31, 1941 - November 22, 1941, no. 15.
Judith Durrer, Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland, "Masson: Massaker, Metamorphoses, Mythologien," September 13, 1996 - November 24, 1996, cat. no. 26.
William Jeffett, Salvador Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, FL, "André Masson: The 1930s," October 1, 1999 - January 16, 2000, no. 25.
Eric M. Zafran, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, "Impressionism to Surrealism from The Baltimore Museum of Art," February 8, 2002 - April 21, 2002, no. 21.
Josefina Alix, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, "André Masson 1896-1987," January 29, 2004 - April 19, 2004.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, "Surrealism at 100", November 8, 2025 - February 16, 2026.
"Modern French Art," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1938, no. 14 (published as "Bull-fight").
"An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings by André Masson," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1941, no. 15, ill.
M. Leiris and G. Limbour, "André Masson and His Universe," London: Éditions des Trois Collines, 1947, no. 68, ill.
Brenda Richardson, "Dr. Claribel & Miss Etta: The Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1985, p. 193.
Dawn Ades, "André Masson," Barcelona: Ediciones Polígrafa, 1994, p. 127, no. 53, ill. (published as "Tauromachy").
Sandor Kuthy, ed., "Masson: Massaker, Metamorphoses, Mythologien," Bern, Switzerland: Kunstmuseum Bern, 1996, p. 34, no. 26, ill.
William Jeffett, ed., "André Masson: the 1930s," St. Petersburg, FL: Salvador Dalí Museum, 1999, pp. 89, 146, 152, cover page, no. 25, ill.
Eric M. Zafran, "Impressionism to Surrealism from The Baltimore Museum of Art," Hartford: Wadsworth Atheneum, 2002, pp. 9, 17, no. 21.
Josefina Alix, "André Masson 1896-1987," Madrid: Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, 2004, pp. 137, 160, p. 160, ill.
Paul Wood, ed., "Varieties of Modernism," London: Yale University Press with The Open University, 2004, p. 38, pl. 1.21, ill. (published as "Tauromachy").
Susan Helen Adler, "Saidie May: Pioneer of Early 20th Century Collecting," Baltimore: Susan Helen Adler, 2008, pp. 200-202, 312, p. 200, ill.
Nerea Sagredo, ed., "Taurus: Del Mito al Ritual," Bilbao: Museo de Bellas Artes, 2010, pp. 69, 73, fig. 42, ill. (published as "Tauromaquia").
Guite Masson, Martin Masson, Catherine Loewer, main text by Dawn Ades, "André Masson Catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre peint, 1919-1941. Volume II 1930-1941," Cat. no. 1937.13, p. 283, 284.
Greeley, Robin Adele, Samantha Kavky, Oliver Shell, and Oliver Tostmann. "Monsters & Myths: Surrealism and War in the 1930s and 1940s." New York, NY: Rizzoli Electa in association with The Baltimore Museum of Art and Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 2018, ill.
Inscribed: Recto: Lower left in black paint, "andre Masson"
