Luis Miguel González Lucas, better known as Luis Miguel Dominguín, was a renowned Spanish bullfighter born on November 9, 1926. He was the son of the notable bullfighter Domingo Dominguín and adopted his father's name to gain popularity.
Dominguín made his first public appearance in the ring at the age of eleven and became a matador in 1941. He enjoyed immense popularity during the 1940s and 1950s in Spain, Portugal, Colombia, and other countries, often being featured on the card alongside other legends.
As a socialite, Dominguín had close relationships with Pablo Picasso and had romantic connections with American actress Ava Gardner and fashion model China Machado. In 1955, he married actress Lucia Bosé, who gave birth to his son Miguel Bosé, a Grammy-award winning singer.
Dominguín occasionally appeared in films, mostly playing himself in cameo roles, in movies such as Around the World in 80 Days and Testament of Orpheus. He also engaged in a bullfighting rivalry with his brother-in-law, Antonio Ordóñez, which was chronicled in Ernest Hemingway's book The Dangerous Summer.
In 1971, at the age of 44, Dominguín returned to the bullring and attempted to understand the sport's enduring appeal. His comeback was marked by a performance at Las Palmas, the Canary Islands, where he wore a suit of lights designed by Picasso and killed two bulls.
Dominguín's personal life was marked by a tumultuous relationship with Ava Gardner, with whom he had a passionate and stormy romance. The relationship was so intense that it sparked gossip and rumors, but it also had tender moments.
Dominguín's friendship with Miroslava Sternova, a Czech actress, was also notable. The two met in Cuba in 1953 and parted as friends, but reconnected in the United States in 1954. Unfortunately, Sternova was found dead from an overdose in Mexico, with rumors suggesting that she took her own life due to Dominguín's marriage to Bosé.
Dominguín's views on love and women were also intriguing, as he confessed to being unsure what he looked for in women. He believed that men fall in love with a woman's faults rather than her qualities.
Despite his tumultuous personal life and the challenges he faced, Dominguín remains one of the most iconic and celebrated bullfighters in history, known for his bravery and skill in the ring.
