Rosa Bonheur's Masterpieces: A Survey of 10 Paintings

DailyArt Magazine presents a survey of ten key paintings by Rosa Bonheur, the renowned 19th-century French animalière. The selection spans her career from 1840 to 1897, including works such as 'Two Rabbits' (1840), her first accepted at the Paris Salon; 'Ploughing in the Nivernais' (1849), a government commission now at Musée d'Orsay; and 'The Horse Fair' (1852–1855), donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1887. Other highlights include 'Sheep by the Sea' (1865), commissioned by Empress Eugénie; 'The Wounded Eagle' (c. 1870), a rare bird subject possibly symbolizing Napoleon III's defeat; 'King of the Forest' (1878), considered by Bonheur a masterpiece; 'El Cid' (1879), a lion portrait gifted to Museo del Prado; and 'Portrait of Colonel William F. Cody' (1889), depicting Buffalo Bill. The final painting, 'Bison in the Snow' (1897), reflects Bonheur's awareness of bison killings in America. The article notes her use of live animal studies, influence of Théodore Gericault and Eugène Delacroix, and her receipt of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic.