Highland Raid

How could we not love Rosa Bonheur's paintings! 

She was a French artist, mostly a painter of animals (animalière) but also a sculptor, in a Realist style. Bonheur was widely considered to be the most famous female painter of the 19th century.

At one time Rosa Bonheur had a complete menagerie in her home, including a lion and lioness, a stag, a wild sheep, a gazelle, and horses. One of her pets was a young lion whom she allowed to run about and often romped with. Bonheur, known for her unconventional ambitions and conduct, received special dispensation from the police to wear trousers and a smock to visit butcher shops and slaughterhouses. It was in these gritty locales that she closely studied animal anatomy to prepare for her paintings.

Highland Raid epitomizes the artist’s ability to capture the raw spirit of animals, such as bulls and sheep whose thick wooly coats are typical of Highland livestock. The lowering sky suggests that the shepherds are trying to outrun the impending storm, driving the herd down the raid (old Scottish for road).

Beautiful isn't it?

P.S. Here you can see Rosa Bonheur’s magnificent lions and the portrait of wildlife. <3