In the depths of the 19th century, at a time when the art world was dominated by men, a remarkable woman rises up, rebelling against social norms and forging her own path on the art scene. Her name is Rosa Bonheur, a French animal painter who made a name for herself with her extraordinary ability to depict nature in its rawest and most authentic form. Born March 16, 1822 in Bordeaux and died May 25, 1899 in Thomery, Bonheur left a legacy that lives in the hearts of art lovers to this day.
Bonheur, who came from a family of artists, was introduced to art by her father, draftsman and landscape painter Raymond Bonheur. She specialized in animal painting early on, focusing on cattle and horses, a choice that set her apart from her contemporaries, who tended to choose smaller animals such as birds and fish. Bonheur was no ordinary artist; she saw painting not just as a hobby but as a profession and lived her life beyond traditional role models. She was an exception in the male-dominated art world of the 19th century and was able to live her life as an emancipated lesbian woman largely on her own terms.
After the death of her mother in 1833, Bonheur worked temporarily in a tailor's shop and then helped a married couple who were friends of hers with coloring. She attended a girls' boarding school, from which, however, she was dismissed at the age of 13 as difficult to educate. From then on, she worked in her father's studio during the day, copying works by Nicolas Poussin, Salvator Rosa, and the Dutch animal painter Paulus Potter at the Louvre. These early experiences shaped her artistic style and dedication to art.
Bonheur gained notoriety through her participation in the Paris Salon exhibitions. Her painting "Bœufs et Taureaux, race du Cantal," shown at the 1848 Salon, earned her recognition. Her work "The Horse Market," exhibited at the 1853 Salon, made her famous. This painting, which established her world fame, was eventually purchased by North American railroad king Cornelius Vanderbilt and donated to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains today. In addition, several other versions of this masterpiece exist.
Bonheur was very successful not only artistically, but also economically. She mainly made animal portraits for wealthy clients in England and America. As more and more visitors flocked to her studio, she retired to a small chateau, the Château de By on the edge of the forest of Fontainebleau. There she lived with her friend and partner Nathalie Micas, whom she had bought with the proceeds of her painting. In this idyllic retreat, surrounded by an extensive private zoo, she continued to create her stunning works that captured the beauty and wildness of nature.
She was a woman of many talents and interests. Her interest in big game grew increasingly, and she even received two circus lionesses as gifts. With special permission, the sixty-seven-year-old painted the bison and mustangs at Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West show for the 1889 Paris World's Fair. Cody used a portrait of her high on horseback for self-promotion and thanked her for the publicity by riding her wild horses to her country estate. Bonheur was inspired by Buffalo Bill's show for her painting "Indians Hunting Bison."
In the last year of her life, she befriended American painter Anna Elizabeth Klumpke, who painted several portraits of her. The love affair between the two women continued until Bonheur's death in 1899. Rosa Bonheur died in Paris at the age of 77 and was buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery next to Nathalie Micas.
Today, Rosa Bonheur's legacy lives on, not only in the hearts of art lovers, but also in the art prints that reproduce her works. As a company specializing in fine art print reproduction, we are proud to honor the beauty and talent of artists like Rosa Bonheur. We reproduce their works with the utmost care and precision to do justice to the original artwork and capture the essence of their art. Each art print is a tribute to the talent and passion of Rosa Bonheur and a reminder of the strength and courage of a woman who rebelled against societal norms and forged her own path in the art scene.
In the depths of the 19th century, at a time when the art world was dominated by men, a remarkable woman rises up, rebelling against social norms and forging her own path on the art scene. Her name is Rosa Bonheur, a French animal painter who made a name for herself with her extraordinary ability to depict nature in its rawest and most authentic form. Born March 16, 1822 in Bordeaux and died May 25, 1899 in Thomery, Bonheur left a legacy that lives in the hearts of art lovers to this day.
Bonheur, who came from a family of artists, was introduced to art by her father, draftsman and landscape painter Raymond Bonheur. She specialized in animal painting early on, focusing on cattle and horses, a choice that set her apart from her contemporaries, who tended to choose smaller animals such as birds and fish. Bonheur was no ordinary artist; she saw painting not just as a hobby but as a profession and lived her life beyond traditional role models. She was an exception in the male-dominated art world of the 19th century and was able to live her life as an emancipated lesbian woman largely on her own terms.
After the death of her mother in 1833, Bonheur worked temporarily in a tailor's shop and then helped a married couple who were friends of hers with coloring. She attended a girls' boarding school, from which, however, she was dismissed at the age of 13 as difficult to educate. From then on, she worked in her father's studio during the day, copying works by Nicolas Poussin, Salvator Rosa, and the Dutch animal painter Paulus Potter at the Louvre. These early experiences shaped her artistic style and dedication to art.
Bonheur gained notoriety through her participation in the Paris Salon exhibitions. Her painting "Bœufs et Taureaux, race du Cantal," shown at the 1848 Salon, earned her recognition. Her work "The Horse Market," exhibited at the 1853 Salon, made her famous. This painting, which established her world fame, was eventually purchased by North American railroad king Cornelius Vanderbilt and donated to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains today. In addition, several other versions of this masterpiece exist.
Bonheur was very successful not only artistically, but also economically. She mainly made animal portraits for wealthy clients in England and America. As more and more visitors flocked to her studio, she retired to a small chateau, the Château de By on the edge of the forest of Fontainebleau. There she lived with her friend and partner Nathalie Micas, whom she had bought with the proceeds of her painting. In this idyllic retreat, surrounded by an extensive private zoo, she continued to create her stunning works that captured the beauty and wildness of nature.
She was a woman of many talents and interests. Her interest in big game grew increasingly, and she even received two circus lionesses as gifts. With special permission, the sixty-seven-year-old painted the bison and mustangs at Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West show for the 1889 Paris World's Fair. Cody used a portrait of her high on horseback for self-promotion and thanked her for the publicity by riding her wild horses to her country estate. Bonheur was inspired by Buffalo Bill's show for her painting "Indians Hunting Bison."
In the last year of her life, she befriended American painter Anna Elizabeth Klumpke, who painted several portraits of her. The love affair between the two women continued until Bonheur's death in 1899. Rosa Bonheur died in Paris at the age of 77 and was buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery next to Nathalie Micas.
Today, Rosa Bonheur's legacy lives on, not only in the hearts of art lovers, but also in the art prints that reproduce her works. As a company specializing in fine art print reproduction, we are proud to honor the beauty and talent of artists like Rosa Bonheur. We reproduce their works with the utmost care and precision to do justice to the original artwork and capture the essence of their art. Each art print is a tribute to the talent and passion of Rosa Bonheur and a reminder of the strength and courage of a woman who rebelled against societal norms and forged her own path in the art scene.
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