Joseph Crawhall took Armour to his first bullfight, at Algeciras in 1890, and The Entrance of the Bull probably dates from the following year. In his autobiography Bridle and Brush, Armour describes the experience as “…one of the most stirring spectacles I have ever seen…”.

George Denholm Armour OBE, 1864-1949

Born in Lanarkshire, the son of a cotton broker, Armour trained in Edinburgh, at the Trustees' Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy's Life Class, from 1880 to about 1888. He began his career as an animal painter, and an early influence was Robert Alexander, who took him on his first visit to Tangier in 1885. However, Armour is today remembered for his sporting illustrations for Punch, Tatler and The Graphic - he had a talent for humorous observation - and his hunting scenes. He was a lifelong friend of Joseph Crawhall, who had a strong influence on his work. Both men loved horses and hunting.