I think, Sirs, and most inimitable Ladies I think I prefer to look at a bull The sketch of a bull, the head of a bull perhaps even if but a study by an artist rather than some fancy prophet in glorious paint or in grand chapel or some miracle recounted in paint and colors and with consummate skill or even God descending – ah, all these do not take my fancy they smack too much of the Elevated; there’s too much of the grandstanding in these Grand Divine Themes - but the face of a bull, ah give me a sketch of the face of a bull just the bull, all marks of nature in it and just itself no symbolism, no conceit, no artifice no High sounding theology, no revelation but just animal nature in its ****** being a bull just animal, its eyes and mouth and horns just all coming together to form one creature… a portrait of a bull anytime for me - Sirs and most inimitable Ladies - none of the holy ones and the great prophets and the Mighty and the Divine and the Grand-Looking: no bull for me, please; just the plain head of a bull, as it is…
ompanion pictures:Rosa Bonheur with bull, Versailles, by Edouard Louis Dubufe; also google for other paintings of bulls and cows by Rosa Bonheur