Rosa Bonheur 'The Power of the Animal' in The Hague

The French artist Rosa Bonheur (1822–1899) was one of the most famous artists of the 19th century. She became best known for her deeply felt, monumental paintings of animals. The Power of the Animal is the first exhibition about this artist in the Netherlands. The exhibition at the Mesdag Collection museum in The Hague centers on her love for animals and her detailed working method. On view until January 19, 2025. A 'must-see' exhibition of 2024!

Rosa Happiness

Marie Rosalie Bonheur (1822 – 1899) was a French painter and sculptor, best known for her detailed paintings of animals. Her work was acclaimed worldwide for the precision with which she depicted animals and landscapes.

 

Youth

Bonheur was born into an artistic family. Her father, Raymond Bonheur, was a painter and gave her her first drawing lessons. After the family moved to Paris in 1828, Bonheur studied the works of masters such as Peter Paul Rubens and Nicolas Poussin at the Louvre. Her interest in animals often took her to markets and slaughterhouses to observe their anatomy.

 

Breakthrough and fame

Her first major success came with *Ploughing in the Nivernais*, which was awarded a prize at the Paris Salon of 1849. This painting, commissioned by the French state, shows an accurate depiction of oxen ploughing a field. Shortly thereafter, she gained international fame with the monumental work *The Horse Market* (1855). This painting, measuring over five meters in width, depicts the horse market on the Boulevard de l'Hôpital in Paris and is considered a masterpiece of animal painting. Bonheur's work also became popular in the United States, where it was depicted on objects such as teacups. In 1859, she was appointed by Empress Eugénie to Officer of the Legion of Honour, as the first female artist to receive this honor.  

Estate and zoo

With the proceeds from her paintings, Bonheur acquired the Castle of By in Thomery, near the Forest of FontainebleauHere, she established an estate that housed more than 200 animals, including horses, cows, and even a lioness named Fatma. These animals served as models for her artworks.  

Private life

Bonheur lived with her childhood friend Nathalie Micas. After Micas's death in 1889, she lived with the American painter Anna Klumpke. Bonheur was known for her androgynous lifestyle and often wore men's clothing, for which she held an official permit to gain easier access to slaughterhouses and markets for her animal studies. Her relationship with Klumpke led to legal disputes over her estate, resulting in changes to French inheritance law.  

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The Mesdag Collection houses the exceptional collection of 19th-century art belonging to the famous marine painter Hendrik Willem Mesdag and his wife, artist Sientje Mesdag-van Houten. The collection contains countless masterpieces by the Barbizon painters, including Charles-François Daubigny, Théodore Rousseau, and Jean-François Millet, as well as by the Hague School, such as the Maris brothers, Anton Mauve, and Jozef Israëls. This collection has been exhibited in the Mesdag couple's atmospheric private museum since 1887. The unique 19th-century ambiance has been preserved in the museum galleries. Adjacent to the museum lies the Mesdags' former home, which is now used for temporary exhibitions. The Mesdag Collection is managed by the Van Gogh Museum Foundation. Rosa Bonheur, 'The Power of the Animal' in The Hague, through January 19, 2025: https://www.demesdagcollectie.nl/nl/plan-uw-bezoek/te-zien/tentoonstelling-rosa-bonheur-de-kracht-van-het-dier?v=1   Previous museum blogs: https://www.postzegelblog.nl/tag/made-in-holland/