Indian on Horseback c. 1889

Rosa Bonheur created "Indian on Horseback" using watercolour to capture the essence of her subject. At first glance, the loose brushstrokes and muted earth tones evoke a sense of serenity. This belies a more complex structure when we consider the cultural context. Bonheur's artistic approach reveals a tension between the Romantic idealization of the "noble savage" and the colonial gaze that often exoticized indigenous peoples. Note how Bonheur’s formal choices—the detailed rendering of the Native American’s attire contrasted with the blurred background—create a visual hierarchy. Here, the foregrounded figure becomes a symbol, laden with cultural meanings and power dynamics. The artist's composition, with its central figure and open landscape, invites us to contemplate the relationship between the individual and nature. Yet, this seemingly harmonious image destabilizes fixed notions of identity and representation, prompting an ongoing dialogue about art's role in shaping our understanding of the world.