In this extraordinary black and white photograph from Ramón Masats' celebrated "Sanfermines" series, captured between 1956 and 1960, we encounter a powerful moment that reveals the hidden reality behind Pamplona's most famous festival. The scene unfolds in a stark hospital room where a young patient lies on a bed while two figures in pristine white medical uniforms attend to him with focused care, their faces partially concealed by surgical masks. The dramatic interplay of light and shadow, with its striking contrast between the luminous medical attire and the darker institutional background, showcases Masats' exceptional mastery of documentary photography.

What distinguishes this work is Masats' unprecedented access to the festival's authentic heart. Rather than observing from the sidelines like most photographers, he immersed himself completely by becoming a member of a peña, allowing him to witness and document not only the celebrated public spectacle but also these more sobering, typically hidden consequences of the running of the bulls. This intimate perspective enabled him to create a complete narrative that extends far beyond the romanticized imagery typically associated with Sanfermines.

The photograph stands as a quintessential example of the neorealist documentary movement that emerged in 1950s Spain, representing a decisive break from the propaganda-laden imagery of the Franco era toward a more honest, humanistic portrayal of Spanish society. Masats belonged to a generation of photographers who embraced international influences from Italian neorealism and sought to dignify the lives of ordinary people through their lens.

This clinical scene, with its sterile medical environment contrasting sharply against the festival's inherent chaos and celebration, perfectly demonstrates his remarkable ability to discover profound meaning within seemingly mundane moments while maintaining his characteristic ironic perspective on Spanish cultural traditions.

This compelling image ultimately became part of Masats' groundbreaking photobook "Los Sanfermines," which remains a cornerstone of mid-20th century Spanish photography, revealing the complete human story behind the legend.