Return from the Horse Fair

1873

Rosa Bonheur

(French, 1822–1899)

Culture

France, 19th century

Medium

watercolor and gouache over graphite

Support

Beige wove paper, laid down on cardboard

Measurements

Sheet: 25.9 x 56.7 cm (10 3/16 x 22 5/16 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2008.410

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

This drawing is one of numerous sheets relating to a large-scale painting now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Description

Rosa Bonheur was the first woman artist to receive the Cross of the French Legion of Honor, a French civilian and military decoration. She achieved great official and commercial success, especially for her carefully finished and naturalistic paintings of animals. This watercolor displays Bonheur's technical mastery and her close study of anatomy, as well as her appreciation for the natural beauty of the horses. The animals are arranged in a shallow frieze across the long composition, and their manicured tails, along with the riders' costumes and the finely-wrought iron fence, identify them as stock from the historic national breeding stables.