The Legend of the Wolves 

Rosa Bonheur made "The Legend of the Wolves" using graphite and colored pencil, building up the image through layers of hatching. These relatively humble materials are put to powerful use. The dark blue hues create a somber, moonlit scene where a lone rider is surrounded by a pack of wolves, their eyes glinting. Bonheur's skillful handling of the pencils creates a range of textures. Notice the rough, broken ground and the softer rendering of the horse and rider. The marks are suggestive of the harshness and unpredictability of the natural world. Bonheur herself challenged societal expectations, achieving great success as a female artist in a male-dominated field. The drawing’s romantic subject matter is typical for the nineteenth century, yet the making is all her own. It’s this intense, direct engagement with her materials and the world around her that gives Bonheur's work its enduring appeal. It blurs the lines between fine art and craft.