A hidden portrait of Paquiro revolutionises Taberna Antonio Sánchez

Madrid adds a new secret to its cultural calendar: Taberna Antonio Sánchez, right in the heart of Lavapiés, has been displaying a hidden mural since 15 September that could change the history of bullfighting in the city. The discovery, unexpected and full of symbolism, invites locals and the curious to see one of the most authentic corners of the centre in a new light.

During restoration work, the team from Da Vinci Restauro, led by Angeles Comba, detected incisions beneath the portrait of Lagartijo, just behind the bar. When the canvas was carefully removed, a mural painting appeared which, due to its features and details, seems to be a portrait of Francisco Montes 'Paquiro', a key figure in nineteenth-century bullfighting.

The hypothesis is supported by very specific elements: the aquiline nose, the hairstyle with a pigtail, the monocle, and the bullfighter’s tie with a Goya-style collar. The satirical style and the pigments used reinforce the dating to around the 1840s. Although definitive confirmation depends on analysis by experts and the Museo de Paquiro, excitement has already taken hold in the neighbourhood.

The mural can only be viewed until 30 November. After that, the work will be preserved and only shown on special occasions to ensure its conservation. For those looking for something different to do in Madrid, this is a unique opportunity: to see up close a fragment of history that had been hidden for decades behind the bar of a tavern with more than two centuries of history.

Taberna Antonio Sánchez is not just a hospitality venue: it is a living witness to the evolution of Madrid and bullfighting. Founded before 1787, it has been a meeting point for artists, bullfighters, and locals, and still retains that atmosphere of a refuge where time seems to move at a different pace. Its bar, its walls, and now this recovered mural, continue to add layers to the collective memory of the neighbourhood and the city.