Plowing in the Nivernais

"Plowing in the Nivernais" by Rosa Bonheur is a celebrated example of Realism in genre painting. Created with oil on canvas, the painting vividly captures a rural plowing scene in France, showcasing Bonheur’s skill in accurately depicting animals and agricultural life. Renowned as a foremost animal painter, Bonheur's work emphasizes honest, detailed representation. First exhibited at the Salon of 1849, the piece exemplifies her realist style and her status as the most famous female painter of the nineteenth century. Today, it resides in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.