Painter and sculptor Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899) led a highly
nontraditional life, especially for a woman in the nineteenth century.
She kept lions as pets, was awarded the Legion of Honor by Empress
Eugénie, and befriended "Buffalo Bill" Cody. She became a painter at a
time when women were often only reluctantly educated as artists. Her
unconventional artistic work habits, including visiting slaughterhouses
to sketch an animal's anatomy and wearing men's clothing to gain access
to places like a horse fair, where women were not allowed, helped her
become one of the most beloved female painters of her time. Among the
artworks discussed are The Horse Fair and Ploughing in the
Nivernais. Along with her life story are a list of museums that house
her work, a bibliography, and an index.