Head Of A Calf 1878

Rosa Bonheur painted this oil sketch of a calf’s head in 1878. Bonheur was celebrated for her naturalistic depictions of animals. But it’s the very materiality of oil paint that allows her to capture the animal’s soft, almost luminous appearance. Note how the brushstrokes follow the contours of the calf’s face, building up layers of color to create a sense of depth and volume. The handling of paint is far from laboured: Bonheur's process emphasizes spontaneity, and immediacy. Bonheur had to seek special permission to visit the abattoirs and farms that were central to her practice. In doing so, she participated in a long tradition of animal painting, while at the same time challenging social conventions. The making and looking at art is a deeply embodied, and historically situated activity. In the end, the value is not only aesthetic, but social and political as well.