The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-27
A World-Famed Painter.

"
v marked that it is English love
! for horses and for fairs rather
than a good appreciation of art, that
made Rosa Bonheur's paintings, in the
realm of animal life. SO much admired
in England. That is a captious re-
mark; Rosa Bonheur's work has been
admired, worldwide, during more than
| the lifetime of generation and it Is
not worthy criticism to ascribe the
appreciation of it to other motives than
| the right one. This venerable artist is
| dead.
Rosalie Bonheur, called Rosa-an art
| list unrivaled amongst her own sex for
| the minute and spirited delneation of
the various forms of animal. life-was
born at Bordeaux, March %, 1922. She
was the daughter of a French artist of
some distinction. She profited by the
instructions of her father, who was her
| sole adviser in the mechanism of paint
| ing. AS the avocations Of her family
| compelled them to reside in Paris, the
indulgence Of her own particular taste
in choice of subjects for study was
somewhat difficult of attainment-she
derived her early instruction from
study of such animal life as could be
seen by her in the streets of Paris. In
1S41 she entered upon her career by
exhibiting two pictures-"Chevres ct
| Moutons' and Les Deux Lapins
which established her reputation. These
were followed by succession Of highly
finished compositions, among which
may be cited the celebrated La Bour-
age Nivernais," which was completed
in 1S49, and has been added to the col
lection in the Luxembourg.
Rosa Bonheur attended the horse
markets, both in France and abroad,
adopting the masculine garb which was
not ill-suited to the decided character of
her face and which enabled her to in
spect and to purchase her subjects with
less interruption and remark. She fitted
up an ante chamber, divided only by a
partition from her studio, as a stable
for the convenience of the various ami
mails domesticated therein, and she es-
tablished small fold in its immediate
vicinity for the accommodation of sheep
and goats.
1t is owing, in measure, to this con-
scientious examination of the develop
ments of animal life that Rosa Bon
heur produced such masterpieces of
representation as the Horse Fair" a
picture which formed the chief attrac-
ton at the French exhibits of pictures
in London, in 1856. In 1885 she sent to
the exhibition at Paris a new landscape
of large dimensions-"The Haymaking
Season in Auvergne."
Rosa Bonheur evinced in her works a
wonderful power of representing spirit
ed action. which distinguished her from
other eminent animal painters of the
day and which invests her pictures with
extraordinary interest. She obtained
first-class medals in 1S4s and in 1855.
She was decorated with the order of the
Legion of Honor, in 1865 She was ap-
pointed a member of the Institute at
Antwerp in 1868. During the siege OF
Paris her residence and studio at Fon-
tainebleau were respected and spared
by the special order of the crown prince
of Prussia. In 1880, the king of Belgium
conferred upon her the Leopold cross
she was the first lady to receive it. The
king of Spain conferred the comman-
der's cross of the Royal Order of Isa-
bella the Catholic upon her as the first
woman to receive it. In 1894 President
Carnot appointed her an officer of the
Legion of Honor.
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