Born in Bordeaux, France, in 1822, Rosa Bonheur became the most celebrated female painter of the 19th century, renowned worldwide for her highly realistic depictions of animals. After receiving training from her father, Bonheur earned her first Paris Salon medal in 1845 and steadily gained recognition for expert depictions of animals in her paintings. Most known for her painting “The Horse Fair,” Bonheur was among the first female artists to receive France’s Cross of the Legion of Honour in 1865. It is interesting to note that Bonheur dressed like a man to visit markets and slaughterhouses to study animal anatomy without drawing unwanted attention, which was typical for women at the time. Thus, dressing in men’s attire was a matter of convenience for her. She spent her later years away from the city on an estate near the Fontainebleau Forest, where she maintained an extensive private menagerie before passing away in 1899.

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