Gascon Bull, French Cattle Chromolithograph from Animaux de la Ferme, 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 GASCONNE, TAUREAU" (Gascon breed, bull). The bull stands broadside in profile facing the viewer's left, a massive, dark gray brown animal with a deep chest, heavy neck and a long level back. His head is short and broad with a pale ring around the muzzle and short horns pointing forward, and pale coloring shows on the lower legs. He stands on a pale sandy ground with a long shadow and a soft gray band of distance behind him.

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 "O. de Penne del." and the printer's line reads "Imp. Zanote, rue des Boulangers, 13, Paris." (printed by Zanote, rue des Boulangers, Paris). The abbreviation stands for delineavit, drew it. The artist is the French animal painter Charles Olivier de Penne (1831 to 1897).

The Gasconne is the gray cattle of Gascony and the central Pyrenees in southwestern France, a hardy breed used for work and meat. 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.