Illustrated letter to M. Roland

About this artwork

Rosa Bonheur's *Illustrated Letter to M. Roland*, created sometime between 1840 and1899, offers a charming window into the daily life of one of 19th-century Europe's most female artists. Penned in brown ink on machine-laid, this intimate correspondence blends heartfelt words with spontaneous sketches, showcasing Bonheur's habit of weaving art into her personal communications. At just 8⅛ × 10⅝ inches, it's a modest yet revealing artifact from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection. Bonheur, a trailblazing Realist painter, rose to fame with monumental works like *The Horse Fair*—also at the Met—fusing romantic naturalism with precise anatomical studies of animals. As the first woman appointed an officer of the French Legion of Honor, she shattered barriers in a male-dominated field, often cross-dressing to access slaughterhouses and farms for her research. This letter exemplifies how drawing was second nature to her, not just for grand canvases but as a lively mode of expression shared with patrons and friends across Europe and America. Such illustrated missives were prized by collectors for their glimpse into Bonheur's vibrant personality and process, highlighting the era's artistic tradition of embellished letters while underscoring her enduring legacy as a pioneer who merged personal voice with professional genius.