Rosa Bonheur’s (1822 – 1899) love for animals was projected through her amazingly accurate and interpretive depictions of their very nature and physiognomy - the latter term being usually more favourably reserved for use in regards to human portraiture. A sense of respect and deep understanding of the subject resulted in Bonheur creating many works throughout her entire life that reflected this fidelity. Some of the most notable of such a collection of works are: Ploughing in the Nivernais (1849), The Horse Fair (1855) and Buffalo Bill (1889). It is through specializing in this subject that Bonheur gained recognition as an animal painter in the 19th century. Thus, the aim of this paper is to interrogate and illustrate the strategies and approach used by the artist to portray the significance of the animal subjects in her paintings. To do this the aforementioned works will be examined in regards to their visual qualities and there will be comparisons made between them and the historic climate that they were created …show more content…
He enthusiastically welcomed the revolution of 1848, because at least from a liberal point of view he among other republicans was never taken in by the so-called republican regime of King Louis Philippe I. Among the increasingly dictatorial gestures of the King was the tightening of laws prohibiting political meetings, confiscation of newspapers that criticized him and even the suspension of progressive professors within the academic halls. The Second Republic addressed the harshness of these repressive laws by abolishing capital punishment and releasing all political prisoners. To the delight of the art world, one of the first acts was to also abolish the undemocratic jury system at the