A portrait of Lupe Sino, commissioned by legendary bullfighter Manolete in 1947, has returned to Córdoba after spending six decades in the United States. The painting has joined the collection of the Casa Museo Manolete in Villa del Río, bringing an emotional chapter of the couple's history back close to the place where their story unfolded.
Manuel Rodríguez Sánchez, known as Manolete, commissioned the portrait of the actress Lupe Sino in the spring of 1947, intending to display it prominently in the living room of his residence in Córdoba.
However, the bullfighter died on 29 August 1947 following a goring at the bullring in Linares, Jaén, before the painting could take its intended place.
A Portrait Commissioned as a Personal Gift
According to the account shared by researcher A. Estévez Reyes, the painter delivered the portrait to Lupe Sino ten months after Manolete's death.
The moment was reportedly deeply emotional. When Lupe saw the painting, she began to cry. What had originally been commissioned as a loving gesture had become a reminder of the man she had lost.
For a time, she kept the portrait stored away. Later, after returning to Spain, she recovered the painting and displayed it in the living room of her home in Madrid, fulfilling in a different way the wish Manolete had once imagined for it.
Lupe Sino was only able to enjoy the portrait for a few months before her own death. The painting subsequently remained with her family.
From Madrid to Chicago and Back to Córdoba
In 1966, Lupe's sister Kika emigrated to Chicago with her daughter, Mari Carmen, taking the portrait with her.
The painting remained in a home in the United States for approximately six decades before its return to Spain.
Its journey back to Córdoba was made possible through the involvement of A. Estévez Reyes, who acted as an intermediary to facilitate its return.
The portrait has now joined the collection of the Casa Museo Manolete in Villa del Río, an exhibition and research space dedicated to preserving the personal and professional legacy of the famous Cordoban bullfighter. The collection has been assembled by researcher, writer and collector Francisco Laguna Menor.
Visiting the Casa Museo Manolete
The return of the portrait brings a personal object connected to Manolete and Lupe Sino into a collection dedicated to the bullfighter's memory.
The Casa Museo Manolete is located at Calle García Lorca, 3, in Villa del Río, Córdoba. Visits are available by prior appointment.
Visitor information
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Museum: Casa Museo Manolete
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Address: Calle García Lorca, 3, Villa del Río, Córdoba
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Visits: By appointment
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Telephone: 625 54 45 41
Almost 80 years after Manolete commissioned the portrait, the image of Lupe Sino has returned to Córdoba, where it can now be seen as part of the collection preserving the history of one of the city's most recognised figures.