Rosa Bonheur

Couching Lion, 1872, Rosa Bonheur

Cattle at Rest on a Hillside in the Alps, Rosa Bonheur, 1885, Art Institute of Chicago: European Painting and Sculpture

A. A. Munger Collection Size: 54.9 × 66.4 cm (21 5/8 × 26 1/8 in.) Medium: Oil on canvas

Wild Cat, Rosa Bonheur, 19??, Nationalmuseum, SWE

Rosa Bonheur was one of the most famous painters of animals of her time. This wild cat is an excellent example of her realistic way of portraying animals. Bonheur was genuinely interested in the animals she depicted. In addition to a large number of dogs, birds and cats, she also had an otter, Mouflon sheep and lions. In 1853, at the age of 31, she gained wide recognition for her monumental painting The Horse Market. Bonheur’s choice of subjects required her to frequent places where it was impractical to wear long skirts. In 1857, the police granted her permission to wear trousers in public.

Lion in a Mountainous Landscape, 1880, Rosa Bonheur

Lion and Prey (also known as The Kill), 1847, Rosa Bonheur