The Horse Fair is an oil-on-canvas painting by French artist Rosa Bonheur, begun in 1852 and first exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1853. Bonheur added some finishing touches in 1855. The large work measures 96.25 in × 199.5 in.
Inception
1853
Overview
The Horse Fair is an oil-on-canvas painting by French artist Rosa Bonheur, begun in 1852 and first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1853. The artist added some finishing touches in 1855. The large work measures .
The painting depicts dealers selling horses at the horse market held on the Boulevard de l'Hôpital in Paris. The hospital of Salpêtrière can be seen in the left background.
The prime version of the painting has been in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York since 1887, when it was donated by Cornelius Vanderbilt II. It is on view in Gallery 812.
Background