Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899)

Animal painter of the 19th century, Rosa Bonheur is without a doubt the most famous and best-selling painter of her century, as much in France as in England and the United States. Her career is dazzling: making a living by selling her art from the age of 14, Rosa would become the first female artist to receive the Legion of Honor, presented in person by Empress Eugenie. Able only to succeed on her merit and talent, Rosa forced the respect of her contemporaries. From Georges Bizet, Buffalo Bill, and Victor Hugo to Queen Victoria and Napoleon III, the leading figures of her day showered praise on Rosa throughout her lifetime.

Today, we are still impressed by her surprising modernity. This petite 4 foot 9 woman fought her entire life to “elevate women” and show that “genius does not have a sex.” Armed with her paintbrushes and wearing her pants (for which she received a cross-dressing permit to wear), Rosa strode across the forests and livestock shows to sketch her models. Lover of nature and animals, she fought alongside Denecourt to preserve the Fontainebleau forest and loudly proclaimed that animals had “a soul”, an extremely rare idea in the 19th century.