Spaanse stier bij een boom after 1852

Rosa Bonheur made this study of a Spanish bull using graphite and stumping, a technique of blending with a soft paper tool to create a hazy effect. Stumping is a really interesting choice here. Bonheur was known for her acute, almost photographic realism. But this technique is not about sharp focus. Rather, it softens and diffuses the light, giving the image a dreamlike quality. It reminds us that even the most representational art is still an act of interpretation, and it is up to the artist to manipulate the materials and processes in the service of their vision. Consider the social context too. Bonheur was working at a time when agriculture was becoming increasingly industrialized. Her studies of animals, like this bull, can be seen as a way of preserving a way of life that was rapidly disappearing. She drew attention to these animals and the labor they provided. So, next time you look at a drawing, don't just see the image. Think about the materials and processes that went into making it, and the social and cultural context in which it was created.