Oscar Dominguez was born in Tenerife, Spain, and settled in Paris in 1934. He was an active member of the Surrealist movement from 1934 to 1946. From about 1935 he adopted techniques of 'automatism' and was credited with having invented the 'decalmomanie' method. Many of his works were reproduced in the Surrealist journal Le Minotaure.

From his early work through to his later more abstract pictures, Dominguez was always fascinated by bull-fighting. In the present work the artist plays a game with the first letter of his name, using it to form the handle of the sword as if he himself has delivered the final blow to the dying bull.

As with the Tanguy (lot 31, 27th June 1994), this picture comes from the Estate of the Danish collector F.C. Boldsen who, before collecting more contemporary Danish and Cobra art, bought several important works from Surrealist artists living in Paris as well as from the Swedish Halmstadt group. It is recorded that Dominguez exhibited in Scandinavia during the late 1930s. It was at this time that he was closest to the Surrealists and painted his best works. He was included in nearly all major Surrealist exhibitions and Breton, Eluard, Albert Skira and particularly Picasso were among his closest friends.