Tribute to Rosa Bonheur - 126th Anniversary of Her Death

Rosalie Bonheur was born on March 16, 1822, in Bordeaux and was the first woman to be awarded the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honor for an artistic achievement by Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. She was subsequently awarded the title of Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1894. 

Daughter of Sophie Marquis (1779-1833), an accomplished musician, and Raimond Bonheur (1796-1849), Rosa Bonheur and her four siblings followed in their father's footsteps. Thus, Rosa and her siblings chose to make animal painting their profession. They were trained by their father and developed at the Salons. Rosa, the eldest child of the family, encouraged her siblings after the deaths of both her parents in 1833 and 1849. Isidore, the third child, devoted himself to animal sculpture. Rosa then decided to no longer exhibit animal sculptures at the Salon from 1850 onward, allowing her brother to exhibit.

Indeed, her training with her father was fruitful. At the age of fourteen, Rosa acquired her copyist's card from the Louvre. As early as 1844, she had the opportunity to exhibit one of her works at the Salon: Rabbits. 

The artist's extraordinary personality was evident throughout her life. In 1837, Rosa Bonheur met Nathalie Micas (1824-1889). A romantic friendship developed between the two women. They decided to work and live together. She also obtained a "transvestism permit" from the police headquarters, authorizing her to wear trousers, which were more practical than dresses for her work. This was required by the ordinance of November 7, 1800. 

The Realist painter traveled the countryside and visited slaughterhouses to obtain an almost scientific rendering of anatomy in her paintings.

Around 1860, this painter earned a generous living thanks to numerous commissions and the support of dealers.

An Overview of Realism in Painting

Realism seeks to represent reality as faithfully as possible. This movement is essentially opposed to Neoclassicism. The latter draws its inspiration from Greco-Roman antiquity and attaches great importance to line and composition. Realism is more in line with the Barbizon School, for example. The difference between Realism and Naturalism lies primarily in the approach. Realism is an artist-led initiative, while Naturalism is supported by the state. It serves a political purpose, attempting to stem the rural exodus. Naturalism regularly highlights the work and fatigue of peasants. 

Artists of the Realist movement frequently adopted Naturalism.

Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) is recognized as the leader of this pictorial movement. He created An After-Dinner at Ornans, a painting in which he disrupted the hierarchy of genres established in the 17th century by André Félibien. He depicted the genre scene as a historical scene: the figures depicted are named and the dimensions are particularly large. 

Realism restored the grandeur of landscape painting. This pictorial genre was the fourth of five in Félibien's hierarchy.

Rosa Bonheur, a realist artist, combines these two aspects of Realism: genre painting and landscape in her depictions of American Indians.

Meeting Buffalo Bill and the Native Americans 

Rosa Bonheur met Buffalo Bill (1846-1917) at the 1889 World's Fair. This iconic figure in the conquest of the American West created and supervised the traveling Wild West Show between 1883 and 1913. The artist became friends with this figure and even allowed him to enter the circus grounds near Neuilly as she wished during one of his tour stops. As a thank you, she painted his portrait. 

Tributes and Legacy 

Her partner, Nathalie Micas, died in 1889. Following this tragic event, she met her second partner, the American Anna Klumpke (1856-1942). While she was working on her painting "The Treading of Wheat in the Camargue," Rosalie Bonheur died in 1899. Anna Klumpke became her sole legatee and ensured that her friend's memory was respected. Rosa is buried alongside Nathalie Micas in Père-Lachaise Cemetery. 

Numerous tributes have been paid to the painter, who throughout her life championed women's independence. For example, the merchant Ernest Gambart (1814-1902) presented the city of Fontainebleau with a memorial to Rosa Bonheur in 1901. Similarly, the cities of Paris, Thomery, and Fontainebleau have renamed streets in her name. Rosa Bonheur's former home, the Château By, is now open to the public. The painter's studio has survived unscathed.

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