Stag Lying Down (c. 1875–85): Art, History and Details

Stag Lying Down (c. 1875–85) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Rosa Bonheur (French, 1822–1899).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

This drawing was among many representing stags that were discovered in Rosa Bonheur’s studio after her death. One of the few women of her time who was given the support needed for an artistic career, Bonheur became famous during her lifetime for naturalistic portrayals of animals. Daily carriage rides through the forest around her home enabled her to sketch from nature. One such outing inspired Cleveland’s drawing: Bonheur’s companion recalled “a stag . . . with the sun playing on him through the leaves . . . [who] remained perfectly still.” Watercolor was ideal for such improvisatory studies, allowing Bonheur to work outdoors alongside the subjects she treasured.

Object facts

• Title: Stag Lying Down
• Date: c. 1875–85
• Creator attribution: Rosa Bonheur (French, 1822–1899)
• Culture: France, 19th century
• Type: Drawing
• Technique: watercolor and gouache over graphite on cream wove paper
• Dimensions: Sheet: 28 x 38.1 cm (11 x 15 in.)
• Collection: DR - French
• Department: Drawings
• Accession number: 1977.3

A detail from the museum

Bonheur constructed a park to house a stag named Jacques, whom she kept as a pet and model.

Collection credit

James Parmelee Fund

Further reading listed by the museum

• Roger-Milès, M. L[éon]. Atelier Rosa Bonheur. Paris: Georges Petit, 1900.
• Stanton, Theodore. Reminiscences of Rosa Bonheur. New York: Hacker, 1976.
• Non-Dissenters: Fifth Exhibition. Exh. cat. New York: Shepherd Gallery, 1976.

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.