Why does this plaque adorn this building? This Juan Belmonte Plaque commemorates a remarkable man. Juan Belmonte lived here from 1940 until his death in 1962.
Juan Belmonte was no ordinary man. He was a brilliant and revolutionary bullfighter. His origins were humble as he was born in the Triana neighborhood of Seville in 1892. Belmonte’s father had a small stall in the Triana market. He assembled and disassembled it each day. Tragedy struck early when Belmonte lost his mother. He was a mere child.
Belmonte left school at eight. Yet he became a self-taught man. He befriended printers who ignited his love for reading. This passion stayed with him throughout his life. At 17 Belmonte first donned the suit of lights. It was in the bullring of Elvas in Portugal. In 1912 he triumphed as a novice bullfighter. Seville’s Real Maestranza carried him home on their shoulders.
His formal debut came in Madrid on September 16 1913. The City Council honored this centennial with this Juan Belmonte Plaque. From 1914 Juan Belmonte began his rivalry with Joselito. The 1917 season shone as the most brilliant of his career. In 1922 he retired from bullfighting. He returned two years later. Belmonte continued until the start of the Civil War.
Juan Belmonte revolutionized bullfighting. He introduced unprecedented slowness and closeness to the bull. His concept of stillness in the ring influenced Manolete. Manolete achieved total stillness that some called “the mystique of bullfighting.”
Despite his lack of formal education Juan Belmonte befriended intellectuals and artists. These included members of the Generation of ’98 like Valle Inclán and Pérez de Ayala. Ernest Hemingway immortalized him in “Death in the Afternoon” and “The Sun Also Rises”. Manuel Chaves Nogales penned his splendid biography. Gerardo Diego dedicated verses to Belmonte. His words capture Belmonte’s essence. He sings of the full man the conqueror of the world. He also conquered himself who knew how to lean fearlessly and serenely over the abyss day after day.
Juan Belmonte’s life ended on April 8 1962. He passed away at his estate between Seville and Jerez. This Juan Belmonte Plaque serves as a reminder. It reminds us of the revolutionary bullfighter. It reminds us of his impact on culture. It also reminds us of his intellectual depth. This house was more than just a residence for Juan Belmonte. It was a sanctuary for a legend.