All it takes is a drive across Spain to see the legendary brandy advertisement that has become a symbol of Spanish culture both here at home and abroad.

The Osborne Bull is the black silhouette of bull that stands on hilltops and along the roadside in many – but not all – parts of Spain. It began as nothing more than an advertisement in 1956 when the Osborne Group set out to promote Veteran brandy. An Andalucian artist by the name of  Manolo Prieto suggested the bull and thus set a legend in motion.

Prieto, born in Cádiz in 1912, was actually quite a prolific artist. He will probably always be most remembered though, for his roadside monuments to Spanish brandy. According to some reports, this ended up being a source of disappointment to man who was so dedicated to his vocation.

The Osborne Bull, however, left Prieto’s hands and went on to take on a life all its own. It started out as a wooden figure, quickly transformed into metal in order to withstand weather conditions. Later it had to meet even tougher regulations, which, by 1962, brought it to its full height and added its current support structure.

The big controversy began when the Traffic Department, intent on reducing accidents by wiping away any possibly roadside distraction, ordered that the bull be taken down in 1994. There was public outcry across many parts of Spain, especially Andalucia, where the regional government promptly declared it part of Andalucian Heritage. In the years that followed, the Osborne Bull would be recognised by Spanish courts as a genuine cultural symbol and it would remain along roadsides in many areas.

Even though the Osborne Bull really is a commercial figure, it’s cultural status as a symbol of all things Spanish is so widely accepted as to create a backlash in some parts of Spain with Catalan’s ripping down any attempt to raise an Osborne Bull and some Basque’s raising a Basque sheep instead.

In spite of all the controversy, the bull will most certainly go on.

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