Rosa Bonheur, the Artist Who Wore Pants

On today's episode of the podcast, Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin talk about Rosa Bonheur on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of her birth in Bordeaux.

Rosa Bonheur was one of the most successful painters of her generation and was the most important and successful woman artist of the 19th century. Known for her paintings of animals and for her eccentric and somewhat exotic lifestyle, she was a consummate artist who lived a singular life.

When people who know about art and painting hear her name, what immediately comes to mind is that she painted animals. They were the passion of her life. But her work is so much more than ‘just” painting animals, and the why and how of her becoming an artist are part of an incredible story.

Thomery is the chateau where Rosa spent a lot of her time. You can visit it, you can even spend the night in Rosa's room!

Book Recommendation: Art is a Tyrant, the Unconventional Life of Rosa Bonheur by Catherine Hewitt

YouTube video about Rosa Bonheur

Table of Contents for the Rosa Bonheur Episode

• [00:00:00] Intro
• [00:00:39] What’s in this episode
• [00:01:59] Who supports the podcast
• [00:03:01] Main interview
• [00:03:48] Who was Rosa Bonheur?
• [00:04:38] Rosa Bonheur’s parents
• [00:05:42] Art education in the family
• [00:06:39] Rosa’s father
• [00:07:03] Rosa’s childhood
• [00:08:03] Her artistic environment
• [00:08:59] Father’s ambitions
• [00:10:07] Family moves to Paris
• [00:10:17] What was the ‘Salon’?
• [00:12:28] Rosalie was different and more independent
• [00:13:36] The Political Environment in the 1830s
• [00:14:49] Idealist vs Realist in the family
• [00:15:51] The Family Moved to Rue des Tournelle
• [00:16:07] Her Mother Passes Away from Cholera
• [00:17:44] Rosa’s Art Education and Gifting
• [00:18:50] She didn’t adhere to the ‘art for women’ category
• [00:20:31] Her companion and assistant
• [00:21:53] Permission to wear men’s clothing
• [00:23:32] Men still can’t wear women’s clothes today
• [00:25:49] Rosa Bonheur was a trail blazer
• [00:26:45] Admitted to the Salon and wins first prize
• [00:27:33] Her first really famous painting
• [00:28:07] Financially independent
• [00:29:07] Her sophisticated technique
• [00:29:41] Accepted in the Salon by default
• [00:30:43] Becomes the Director of the School of Drawing
• [00:31:14] Rosa Bonheur was an inspiration to many artists
• [00:31:39] She painted the rural France
• [00:32:32] Rosa Bonheur surrounded herself with animals
• [00:33:57] Le Marché aux Chevaux
• [00:36:08] No rights to the photos
• [00:37:10] Realism focused on rural life
• [00:38:29] Rosa Bonheur’s “Category”
• [00:42:02] The Barbie of the 19th Century?
• [00:42:40] Her looks
• [00:43:37] Where can you see her work?
• [00:44:50] 200th anniversary of her birth
• [00:45:19] Do we like tortured artists?
• [00:46:43] Outro[00:46:43] Thank you, patrons
• [00:48:08] Preparing to Visit France?
• [00:48:25] Hire me to be your itinerary consultant
• [00:49:38] The self-guided tours
• [00:50:26] Travel question of the week
• [00:54:21] This Week in French News
• [00:57:38] Security changes at the Sainte Chapelle
• [00:59:04] Abortion Law Changes
• [01:01:34] Personal update
• [01:03:45] Show notes
• [01:04:10] Next week on the podcast