The Bull and the Wailing Woman

These two characters are in very close proximity to each other. But it's difficult to see what, if any, relationship they are to each each other. At first glance it may seem that the bull just happens to be placed where it is because of the practical availability of space on the canvas, but this seems unlikley to me. The proximity of these two characters and the symbolism they appear to represent have, at least, two possibilities:

1. The Wailing Woman is Dora Maar

Taking a closer look, the bull's relationship to the woman is not hostile, in fact, on the contrary, it looks like it's protecting her. His feet are placed on either side of her as if to envelop her as she cries for the loss of her child. Even her eyes are the shape of giant tears. She stands completely bereft of herself baring her soul by baring her breasts though there is nothing sexual at all from the scene. She is a woman at a complete loss...even her dignity has escaped her in this desperate moment.

I think this is more than the 'power' of the bull protecting the vulnerable. If the bull is Picasso, might the wailing woman be his mistress, Dora Maar? Picasso often depicted Dora in many of his paintings crying. Dora was reported as being barren, unable to bear children which often did upset her. There is a distinct difference between the nipples on this woman's breasts and those of the 'Crippled Woman' entering the scene. Here the nipples are painted simplified. They seem to be depicted for illustrative purposes...to define that this is a woman.

Is this scene depicting Picasso comforting Dora Maar who is in a state on vulnerability?

There is added validity to this theory related to the sub topic 'Arrows'. 

2. Mary Magdalen taking Christ from the Cross

The scene could also be taken as the biblical story of Mary taking the lifeless body of Christ from the Cross. It's possible... There is a striaght upright edge behind the bull which extends at an angle away from the vertical. This could be the cross from which Christ was lowered. 

There is also the possibility that this reference to the pietta, is enhanced with the depiction of a tiny cross in the upper fold of the woman's shoal. 

Picasso made references to Christ on the Cross previously, so it's a possibility that this may also be symobolic of this act.

3. Picasso's Empathy for the Victims of Guernica

Once again, the Bull may be Picasso himself as he stares directly at us who are viewing the picture from our relative position. He stares at us, as shocked as we are.