Rosa Bonheur

Rosa Bonheur (1822–1899) was a French painter and sculptor celebrated for her remarkably detailed and lifelike depictions of animals. Known for works such as The Horse Fair and Ploughing in the Nivernais, she combined scientific accuracy with artistic sensitivity, earning international acclaim and becoming one of the most successful female artists of the 19th century. Bonheur’s mastery of anatomy, texture, and movement brought vitality to her paintings of horses, cattle, and rural scenes. Born in Bordeaux to a family of artists, she trained under her father, Raymond Bonheur, and exhibited prodigious talent from a young age. She defied social norms by wearing men’s clothing—secured through a police permit—to study animals in the field more freely. Bonheur never married but shared her life with lifelong companions Nathalie Micas and later Anna Klumpke, dedicating herself fully to art until her death in 1899.