Artwork
Deer in Repose
Deer in Repose is an oil painting by the Realist artist Rosa Bonheur. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Rosa Bonheur rendered the animals with meticulous naturalism, emphasizing their physical presence and serene interaction.
The painting depicts a deer at rest alongside its mate and fawns within a forest clearing, a scene that symbolizes tranquility and the nurturing aspects of nature. Rosa Bonheur rendered the animals with meticulous naturalism, emphasizing their physical presence and serene interaction. The work belongs to the broader tradition of animal art that celebrates rural and wild life, reflecting 19th‑century French interest in realistic portrayals of the natural world.
Today the piece is housed in the Detroit Institute of Arts, where it remains part of the museum's permanent collection.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, depicting a deer and its fawn in a forest clearing. The composition emphasizes the animal's relaxed posture, rendered with precise brushwork that captures the texture of fur and foliage. The painting measures 101 cm in height and 82.2 cm in width, reflecting the standard format of 19th-century animal subjects.
It was created in 1867 and is housed at the Detroit Institute of Arts, where it entered the collection through a donation in 1920.
History & Provenance
Rosa Bonheur painted Deer in Repose in 1867, as documented in both internal records and public sources. The work was executed in oil on canvas, measuring 101 by 82.2 centimeters, and depicts a stag alongside a doe and two fawns resting in a forest setting.
The painting was once part of the collection of Detroit businessman Dexter M. Ferry. In 1920, it was donated to the Detroit Institute of Arts by Queene Ferry Coonley, a relative or associate of the original collector. The work has remained in the museum’s holdings since its acquisition.
The painting Deer in Repose is held by the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, where it remains on view as part of the museum's collection. It was acquired from the estate of Dexter M. Ferry, who had previously owned the work, and was donated to the museum in 1920 by Queene Ferry Coonley. The work was created by Rosa Bonheur in 1867 and is catalogued under the accession number 1920.151.
Context
Rosa Bonheur painted Deer in Repose in 1867, an oil on canvas depicting a deer and fawn in a forest, now housed at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The work originated from Dexter M. Ferry's collection and was donated to the museum in 1920 by Queene Ferry Coonley. It belongs to the animal art genre within the broader context of Second Empire painting and 19th-century wildlife representation.
Overview
Rosa Bonheur’s 1867 oil on canvas, titled Deer in Repose, presents a tranquil woodland scene now in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts. The composition centers on three deer within a shaded forest, the adult animal alert while two younger figures lie amid moss and leaf litter, surrounded by dense foliage and dappled light.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Rosa Bonheur was a French artist known best as a painter of animals (animalière).
