# Stag Lying Down

- By: Rosa Bonheur (French, 1822–1899)
- Date: c. 1875–85
- Medium: watercolor and gouache over graphite on cream wove paper
- Classification: Drawing
- Dimensions: Sheet: 28 x 38.1 cm (11 x 15 in.)
- Culture: France, 19th century
- Credit line: James Parmelee Fund
- Museum: [Cleveland Museum of Art](https://clevelandart.org/art/1977.3)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1977.3/1977.3_web.jpg
- Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

This drawing was among many representing stags that were discovered in Rosa Bonheur’s studio after her death. One of the few women of her time who was given the support needed for an artistic career, Bonheur became famous during her lifetime for naturalistic portrayals of animals. Daily carriage rides through the forest around her home enabled her to sketch from nature. One such outing inspired Cleveland’s drawing: Bonheur’s companion recalled “a stag . . . with the sun playing on him through the leaves . . . \[who\] remained perfectly still.” Watercolor was ideal for such improvisatory studies, allowing Bonheur to work outdoors alongside the subjects she treasured.