Sculptpedia Statues, Busts and Sculptures Park sculptures and installations Ancient World & Antiquity Middle Ages & Renaissance Marble & Other Stones Bronze & Other Metals

Bull of Osuna

Bull of Osuna is an Iberian sculpture carved by the Turdetani and found in Osuna, Seville, at the archaeological site of the ancient Iberian city of Urso. Dating from the late Iberian period, it is a bas-relief of a reclining bull carved into a stone block and originally formed part of a funerary monument, where it would have had a protective function. The sculpture is displayed in the National Archaeological Museum of Spain in Madrid, alongside other Iberian works, under inventory number 38416. It presents a standing bull treated in a realistic yet rigid manner, with deeply incised eyes, an open mouth, and a slender body with pronounced hips.

Bull of Osuna stone sculpture shown in profile on a white plinth.
The Bull of Osuna, a stone bull sculpture displayed in profile on a white plinth.
· CC BY-SA 4.0
Light-colored stone Bull of Osuna sculpture shown in a recumbent pose with a detailed head and curled tail.
The Bull of Osuna, a light-colored stone sculpture of a resting bull.
· CC BY-SA 2.0
Stone sculpture of the Bull of Osuna shown reclining on a white plinth.
The Bull of Osuna, a reclining stone sculpture displayed on a white plinth.
· CC BY-SA 4.0
Stone sculpture of the Bull of Osuna in a resting pose on a white display stand.
The Bull of Osuna, a stone bull sculpture displayed in a modern museum setting.
August 2014 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Bull of Osuna stone sculpture with carved bull head and forequarters displayed in a museum gallery.
The Bull of Osuna displayed on a white base in a museum gallery.
· CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleBull of Osuna
SubjectA reclining bull
Original nameEl Toro de Osuna
TypeSculpture

Historical context

DateEnd of the 2nd century BCE
Cultural periodIberian period

Creator

Attributed makerThe Turdetani people
WorkshopProbably a Turdetani workshop

Discovery and provenance

Discovery siteArchaeological site of the ancient Iberian city of Urso (Osuna), Seville, Spain
Historical originRemnant of the ancient Iberian city of Urso
LocationNear Seville, Spain
Discovery locationOsuna, Seville, Spain

Physical characteristics

HipsPronounced
Dimensions56 cm high, 121 cm long, 31 cm thick
Condition of the hornsBroken
Condition of the ear tipsBroken
Condition of the tailBroken
Condition of the legsBroken above the knee
MouthSlightly open
BodySlender
Throat dewlapRendered with curved and parallel incisions
EyesSurrounded by deep incisions that extend above the nose
DescriptionA bull sculpture
StyleRealistic and rigid
Sculpture typeStanding bull
FormLow relief in an ashlar block

Materials

MaterialLimestone
Support materialStone ashlar block

Technique

TechniqueCarved in stone / ashlar

Iconography and meaning

FunctionPart of a funerary monument
Interpreted functionProtective function within the funerary monument

Location and ownership

Current locationNational Archaeological Museum of Spain, Madrid
Inventory number38416
Museum contextExhibited together with various sculptures from the Iberian period