Rosa Bonheur

Born Marie-Rosalie Bonheur, she was the tenth child in a family that leaned towards the unusual. Her father, a landscape painter and drawing instructor, was a follower of Saint-Simonism, a utopian socialist movement that advocated for equality for women and the abolition of traditional marriage. This progressive upbringing, rather than any Jewish heritage, shaped Bonheur's unconventional life choices and independent spirit. She famously lived with Nathalie Micas for over 40 years, only taking a wife (officially speaking) late in life.

Bonheur's dedication to her craft was legendary. To accurately depict animals, she spent countless hours in slaughterhouses, dissecting rooms, and even lived on a farm, often adopting some of her subjects. Her most famous work, "The Horse Fair" (1855), is a monumental canvas that cemented her reputation as a master of animal portraiture, earning her international acclaim and even a visit from Queen Victoria.

Despite her groundbreaking artistic achievements and trailblazing persona, Bonheur's connection to anything Jewish is as absent as a kosher butcher at a pig roast. She was a devout Catholic, albeit one who marched to the beat of her own drum, receiving the Legion of Honor from Empress Eugénie herself – a first for a female artist. While her independent spirit and artistic talent are certainly kvell-worthy, she doesn't appear to have embraced a bagel or a bar mitzvah in her 77 years.