Stag and Does in the Forest, Autumn
1878
Rosa Bonheur was the undisputed queen of animal painting in 19th-century France, and this moody autumn forest scene proves exactly why. She famously visited slaughterhouses and studied anatomy to get every muscle and antler perfectly right, which you can clearly see in the majestic stag standing guard over his resting herd. Bonheur was also a total rebel for her time, often wearing men's clothing to move freely around horse fairs and farms to sketch her subjects. It's no wonder she became the most famous female painter of her era, capturing the wild spirit of nature with incredible, lifelike detail.
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