Béarnaise Cow with Bell Collar, French Cattle Chromolithograph, 1863

This is an original antique chromolithograph, printed in color from several lithographic stones, from Victor Borie's Animaux de la Ferme, Espèce Bovine, published in Paris about 1863. The plate is lettered "RACE BÉARNAISE, VACHE." (Béarnaise breed, cow). The cow walks toward the viewer's left in profile, a wheaten fawn animal with tall, lyre shaped horns tipped dark. A red padded band is tied across her poll, and a broad black collar with brass fittings hangs from her neck with a brass bell beneath. Her udder shows under the flank and her tail falls to a light switch. She walks on a sandy ground streaked with paler bands, with a gray shadow behind.

Above the image, the plate is headed Animaux de la Ferme, Espèce Bovine (Farm Animals, Cattle), with the imprint "Lib. Agricole de la Maison Rustique, rue Jacob, 26, à Paris" at left (the agricultural bookshop of the Maison Rustique), and "par Victor Borie" (by Victor Borie) at right. Below the image, the artist's credit reads "Ol de Penne Pinx.t" and the printer's line reads "Imp. Zanote rue des Boulangers, 13, Paris." (printed by Zanote, rue des Boulangers, Paris). The abbreviation stands for pinxit, painted it. The artist's signature, Ol. de Penne, is also drawn into the image at lower left. The artist is the French animal painter Charles Olivier de Penne (1831 to 1897).

The Béarnaise is the fawn colored cattle of the Béarn, in the western Pyrenees of France, long used for draft work as well as milk. Borie's album sets out the cattle of France alongside British and other foreign breeds, each animal shown in profile on a plain ground so that build, coat and horns can be compared. It was issued by the Librairie Agricole de la Maison Rustique, the Paris publisher of agricultural books.

The clear profile and warm palette suit a kitchen, study or country house, alone or with other plates from the series.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.