Joaquín Rodríguez (July 20, 1743 – January 27, 1800), better known as Costillares, was a Spanish

bullfighter A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activit ...

who has been considered the father of modern spectator

bullfighting Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations. There are several variations, including some forms wh ...

Biography

Costillares was born in Seville, son of the matador Luis Rodríguez, who also worked in a slaughterhouse, and followed his father in both professions. He learned about the anatomy of the

bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions, includin ...

at the slaughterhouse, which would help him as a bullfighter. He began his career with Pedro Palomo, and gained recognition in Seville, where he among the first to perform to acclaim at the recently constructed Real Maestranza

bullring A bullring is an arena where bullfighting is performed. Bullrings are often associated with the Iberian Peninsula, but they can also be found through Iberian America and in a few Spanish and Portuguese ex-colonies in Africa. Bullrings are o ...

. Costillares debuted in Madrid in 1767, and began a rivalry with the popular favorite

Pedro Romero Pedro Romero Martínez (19 November 1754 – 10 February 1839) was a legendary bullfighter from the Romero family in Ronda, Spain. His grandfather Francisco is credited with advancing the art of using the muleta; his father and two brothers we ...

. He appeared regularly in Madrid between 1780 and 1790, surviving serious injury in a 1782 fight. He died in Madrid, aged 56. Spanish bullfighters People from Seville 1743 births 1800 deaths {{spain-bullfighting-bio-stub