Introduction
Rosa Bonheur, a French female artist in the 19th century, began developing her skills in drawing animals at a young age. As a young child, Bonheur suffered from a learning disability. In order to learn the alphabet, she began drawing animals for each letter of the alphabet. Thus began Rosa Bonheur’s career in painting and sculpting animals. Bonheur not only used animals as subject matter, but she possessed a deep affinity for them as well.
Through the illness and death of her mother, Bonheur became quite fond of both women and animals suffering from illness or weakness. In the aftermath of her mother’s death, Bonheur befriended a young girl who was quite sick, Nathalie, and they worked side by side in an intimate way. After her father remarried, Bonheur began to live in her own apartment; Nathalie often helped Bonheur care for the house in addition to her artwork. During Rosa Bonheur’s time of independence, she began a more extensive study of animal anatomy.
Rosa Bonheur and Nathalie entered into a marriage-like relationship after the death of Natalie’s father, which perhaps contributed to Rosa Bonheur’s tactics for gaining access to male-dominated events and professions. Bonheur often dressed as a man to disguise herself at fairs, where she studied the anatomy and physiology of animals. She also dressed as such because she frequented the slaughterhouse to gain a better understanding of anatomy. Rosa Bonheur claimed that her cross-dressing purely served practical purposes; however, other evidence suggests that perhaps her choice in dress was for other reasons as well.
Rosa Bonheur’s commitment to learning about, and realistically portraying animals, is plain in most of her artwork. Animals often find themselves the central figures of her pieces, and she purposefully downplays the image and role of men. Bonheur’s use of realism is a means for highlighting her love for animals, but realism also showcases some of the more prominent values of the movement in her time period.
Title: Study of Horses
Artist: Rosa Bonheur
Date: N/A
Medium: Pencil on Paper
Size: N/A
Musée du Louvre
Previous literature on Rosa Bonheur discusses at length the effort with which Bonheur approached her work in order to realistically depict her animal subjects. Bonheur spent her days watching animals at fairs or studying anatomy in butcher shops to improve her ability in capturing the life and majesty of animals. The study of horses above demonstrates the deliberate process with which Rosa Bonheur observed and recorded animal figures while focusing on their anatomy and physiology. Bonheur dedicated her life to representing the creatures she felt such an affinity for well. The Study of Horses is one example of Bonheur fulfilling her commitment to depicting animal figures realistically and beautifully.
Title: The Walking Bull
Artist: Rosa Bonheur
Date: Modeled 1846
Medium: Bronze
Size: Overall: 6 7/8 × 12 7/16 × 4 3/8 in.
The MET #52.126.1
This sculpture is another representation of Bonheur’s commitment to realism. The particularity with which Bonheur detailed the skin and hair on the bull is astonishing. Every dip or shape reflects an uncanny realistic quality of the physiological and anatomical features of the bull. Notice the indent where the ribs and hip bones meet, or the rippling of the skin between the chin and chest. Bonheur accurately details the physical features of the bull, which are showcased in a painting of hers.
Title: Ploughing in Nevers
Artist: Rosa Bonheur
Date: 1849
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Size: 1.34 m (h) x 2.6 m (w)
Musée d’ Orsay
Rosa Bonheur’s painting, Ploughing in Nevers, illustrates similar characteristics to her bronze sculpture, The Walking Bull. Bonheur gave a lot of attention to the coats of the cattle; the gleam under the sun, with their hair creating ripples and waves on their skin. The cattle appear to be the main focus of the piece as they diminish the presence of the cattlemen walking alongside them. Bonheur frequently portrays animals and people this way; she focuses more on the details of the animals rather than humans. Previously, the stark contrast between animals and people was attributed to Rosa Bonheur’s lack of ability. However, critics lean towards believing that the difference is not about ability, but of focus on and love for animals. Bonheur spent much of her time interacting with animals in order to better portray them in art, and her love for all creatures great and small is evident in her artwork.
Title: Shorn Ewe
Artist: Rosa Bonheur
Date: Modeled c. 1842
Medium: Bronze
Size: Overall: 5 3/4 × 8 1/2 × 4 in.
The MET #1986.256
The Shorn Ewe bronze sculpture is another beautiful example of Bonheur’s commitment to portraying animals realistically. The rippling and texture of the body is quite realistic for being sculpted. The face and eyes of the ewe are accurately shaped, and the smoothness of the faces gives it a clear distinction from the light coat of the body. The ewe’s elongated neck, again, is an accurate representation of the animal. Bonheur showcases her knowledge and understanding of anatomy and physiology, as well as working with bronze, in this sculpture.
Title: Sheep by the Sea
Artist: Rosa Bonheur
Date: 1865
Medium: Oil on Cradled Panel
Size: 12 3/4 x 18 in.
National Museum of Women in the Arts
The sheep portrayed in Bonheur’s Sheep by the Sea further illustrates her commitment to realism. The sheep, the central figures of the piece, look lifelike with their curly, dirty-white coats. The shadowing of the sheep, in addition to the brushwork, adds volume to their appearance. Even the sheep towards the background are clearly defined by curly hair and dips of shadow. The lush grass in the foreground is beautifully textured and is dappled with other vegetation. The crashing sea in the background is defined with white-capped waves and rock outcroppings. The scene is painted in such a way that it draws the viewer in to Bonheur’s depicted reality.
Title: The Horse Fair
Artist: Rosa Bonheur
Date: 1852-1855
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Size: 96 1/4 x 199 1/2 in.
The MET #87.25
Bonheur’s piece, The Horse Fair, displays similar artistic qualities to one of her previous works, Ploughing in Nevers. Similarly, great attention is given to the portrayal of the animals. The horses are distinguished by their detailed and realistic qualities. The hair of their coats gleam in the sun. Their eyes are distinguished enough to communicate emotion. The horses’ manes and tails flow distinctly against the backdrop of horses, men, and trees. Bonheur’s use of contrasting values adds to the volume of the horses. Also similar to Ploughing the Nevers, Bonheur gives the male figures less distinctiveness and detail. Their faces are difficult to make out, and their bodies appear squished between and amongst the horses. Bonheur’s commitment to realism is evident in this piece, especially in her portrayal of the horses. Her distinct love for animals is expressed in her representation of them.
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