Don Tancredo was a

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 ...

technique which was popular in the first half of 20th century. It consisted of a person, who plays the part of Don Tancredo, who waits for the bull whilst standing on a

pedestal A pedestal or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In civil engineering, it is also called ''basement''. The minimum height o ...

located in the middle of the

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 ...

. The performer was dressed in period or comic costume and was painted completely white. He had to remain quiet in order to (supposedly) make the bull believe the person was a

statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or Casting (metalworking), cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to ...

and therefore not attack him because of fear of the hardness of

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

. The origin of this practice is uncertain, although there are several sources that affirm that a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

bullfighter of little fortune named Tancredo López began this show as a desperate attempt to gain money in the late 19th century. The public received it well, and little by little it spread. Normally the Tancredo was played by desperate people who need to make easy money and who had little to lose, since the catches that took place were numerous. Consequently, the Tancredo was banned by the authorities, and in the middle of 20th century the last representations were made. One of the most popular appearances of Don Tancredo is interpreted by the

actor

Fernando Fernán Gómez Fernando Fernández Gómez (28 August 1921 – 21 November 2007), better known as Fernando Fernán Gómez, was a Spanish actor, screenwriter, film director, theater director, novelist, and playwright. Prolific and outstanding in all these fiel ...

in the film '' El inquilino''.

References

Bullfighting {{bullfighting-stub