Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-11-30
FAMOUS PICTURE
Rosa Bonheur's Stirring Master
piece, The Horse Fair"
A PRIZE THAT FRANCE LOST.

Tho Artists Native Land Permitted
,bs Great Canvas to Find Home In
This Countrywide Story Of the
Painting and It's Repiieas.
one Of the chief glories OF the Metro
,olitan museum ia New York Is Rosa
ronhcur's stirring masterpiece. '''rhe
Horse Fair" picture which for it's
irresistible movement and living por-
,ralture Of mans most useful friend
holds unique position In the annals
n art and the affections OF lovers OF
paintings
Few. however. are acquainted with
the intimate history OF that notable
,onvas. and fewer still are aware that
There are no less than Eve horse fair
nlrtures In existence. The one I'm New
York is the original and, Il viii 5e re-
membcrcd. was first the property OF a.
T. stewart and then purchased for the
Metropolitan by Cornelius Vanderbilt
for 10000 francs.
II was painted I'm Paris. the models
used being the horses OF the Paris ON
nihuS company and few animals
studied M the horse market OF the
French capital. IL was first exhibited
NJ the salon of 1853, but went back 10
the artist unsold.
A part Of the further history OF the
famous painting is recorded 10y Ernest
Gambart in his manuscript memoirs.
which have been freely drawn upon
for the "reminiscences OF Rosa Bon
heur."
After the closing OF the 1853 Paris
salon The Horse Fair was intrusted
10 the Society OF Artists OF Client for
exhibition in that town. where Il had
came back unsold. In the spring Of
1854 expressed 10 Mile. Bonheur the
desire 70 buy IL from her. At that time
81 was in Bordeaux. her native town.
Her preference was that the munlc-
lpality should purchase Il for the city
museum. and a price OF 1900 francs
had been mentioned at which the town
authorities might acquire IL. But she
said TO me that II the canvas came
back 20 her again she would let me
have H. However. she could not let
It go 10 England for less than 10000
francs.
y unhesitatingly accepted the bar
gain. and II was agreed that the pic
ture should be mine unless sold TO
Bordeaux. AS the picture was back
IN her studio again In the following
year, told Mile. Bonheur that
wished 20 take Il at once I'm order TO
have It in my 1855 exhibition and that
! should Ike &c have IL engraved by
Thomas Landseer. the celebrated en-
graver and brother 10 the painter
"She was delighted at the idea OF
the picture being engraved and said TO
me: have asked you 10000 francs
for my picture. although in France
cannot get 1900. and I am pleased at
your conseating TO my terms. On the
other hand. / don't mean 10 take un-
due advantage OF your liberality. How
can we arrange mattersg Let us see.
Well the picture is very large, and it
viii be difficult TO find n place for II
in an engraver's studio. Besides, you
want 10 exhibit 1t. Wouldn't it be bet
ter Tor me TO paint you n smaller
copyT"
That suggestion she carried out and
explains how the second canvas came
into existence. That smaller copy was
The one from which Landseer's well
known steel engraving was made and
Is The picture which is IN the British
National gallery.
When she heard that It had become
the property OF the British nation
Nile. Bonheur decided TO make n third
copy. thinking the second was not
good enough for the London collection;
hence The Horse Fair" No. 3. But
the National gallery authorities were
not able To accept the substitute. as
the painting which It was designed to
replace had been given to them as
trustees.
Besides these three. Mile. Bonheur
executed a water color replica and n
drawing based on large photograph.
VI all these. however. the picture in
the Metropolitan is by far the finest
work, which is only as Il should be in
view OF the fact that the artist always
round her best public in America.
This was recalled to her detriment
"hen the rosette OF the Legion of Hon
OF was requested in her behalf. "She
mas ceased exhibiting at the salon."
objected the president, "and sells in
America everything she paints" The
complete answer to that was that the
french government had had the OPP
portunity to buy THE Horse Fair"
nut had neglected it.-Argonaut.