Ram 1845 - 1850

Curator: Immediately, there’s a certain rustic dignity that emanates from this creature. What is it about that ram that grabs you? Editor: Well, just its sheer woolliness, the shaggy magnificence of it. It feels…ancient, somehow. Almost prehistoric. Like you might stumble upon it guarding some forgotten stone circle. Curator: That resonates with me. We’re looking at "Ram" by Rosa Bonheur, dating from sometime between 1845 and 1850, an oil painting. And while technically realism, there’s a strong undercurrent of… I don’t know… something primordial? Editor: Yes! The backdrop seems deliberately indistinct, almost timeless. It's not a specific place, but *the* place where rams exist. It's clever because by obscuring the context, the ram isn't just a ram; it becomes an emblem, a symbol. Curator: Absolutely, an emblem of rustic strength and endurance, and something of the sublime. Think about how the ram, as a symbol, appears across so many cultures - ancient Egypt, Greece, Christianity… Editor: A symbol of virility, of sacrifice, but also stubbornness. That single-minded focus! He almost looks as though he's judging us! Do you think Bonheur was intentionally playing with that historical baggage? Curator: Bonheur, who by the way often had to overcome societal prejudices just to paint animals seriously, might have subtly invoked those associations, perhaps unconsciously channeling them into her work. But her technique – the detailed rendering of the wool, the solid, almost sculptural form of the animal – speaks volumes itself. It feels respectful, and grounded. Editor: And that grounding brings us back to reality. I’m reminded that it *is* just a sheep...though rendered so beautifully. Curator: Though beautifully, but in an enduring way... One sees in the ram a persistent connection with images that precede it. Thank you, I suppose, for helping me see the world again in these artistic creations.