Rosa Bonheur’s Multimodal Menagerie
The celebrated animal painter Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899) was a prolific artist. Her paintings and sketches capture an array of animals that she encountered in a variety of settings, including on the grounds of her chateau in Thomery, France. Bonheur’s dynamic yet intimate portrayals of her animal subjects capture their individuality and speak to a deeper level of care for the animals being depicted.
In this talk, CSWS research grant fellow Margaryta Golovchenko, PhD candidate in Art History, outlines the stakes of her dissertation chapter dedicated to the artist. She argues that the central role that animals played in Bonheur’s life and career should be read as a form of animal power. Bonheur’s animal subjects lent power and legitimacy to the artist through their bodies, creating a dynamic and reciprocal relationship that is ongoing and constantly in the process of (re)negotiation.
12–1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19 | 330 Hendricks Hall | 1408 University Street, Eugene
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