Oil on canvas – 11,81 x 15,75 inch – Unique work

While the weather is magnificent on the Semnoz plateau, a few miles above Annecy, in Haute-Savoie, Rosalie decides to fall flat on her side to fully enjoy the tremendous landscape right in front of her.

Oh, she may know it by heart, since she’s been hanging around for so long. But it’s always a pleasure that she shares on August afternoons. The heat of the sun high in the sky warms her joints, which have become painful over the years. She’s not that young anymore, our Rosalie. She plays like she’s but… the years are as expected to be!

From here, on this huge limestone promontory, she can admire the massifs of the Alps, Jura and Bauges! She’s lucky to live in this dream setting mountain pasture. And, guess what, Rosalie is not the lender type. So, when a family comes from far away, she’s not thrilled at all. Maybe by any luck they’ll walk away, or even better, turn around? She watches out of the corner of her eye, crossing her hooves to ward off the spell. If she could, she would even go and burn a candle.

Oh no, it can’t be happening. But what on earth has she done to deserve this? Not satisfied with making a detour in her direction, there are two of the four humans approaching her now. Well, they don’t look mean, not at all. They walk very slowly, even whisper to each other. Amazing, how caring they seem. What can she do ? If she had been a male she would have jumped up, huffed her noses loudly, even rubbed one of her hooves on the floor in threat mode and she would have even pushed up to charge them and, without any doubt, she would have taken great pleasure in seeing them running away!

But Rosalie is a quite old female, so that kind of game is not for her. Suddenly, she goes into “I am invisible, no one can see me” mode and waits. The two teenagers are now (yes closer she could see they were young, not like her) right next to her. And their mom across the way, nearby, crouching like them, and… oh, it’s okay, she’s just taking a picture!

Delighted to strike the pose, Rosalie gives her best smile!