MONSTER BRAINS

Henry Fuessli - The Nightmare
The Nightmare, 1802

The Nightmare, 1781

Date unknown

Drawn by Henry Fuseli with black and white chalk on brown paper, 1781.

"The Nightmare is a 1781 oil painting by Swiss artist Henry Fuseli (1741–1825). Since its creation, it has remained Fuseli's best-known work. With its first exhibition in 1782 at the Royal Academy of London, the image became famous; an engraved version was widely distributed and the painting was parodied in political satire. Due to its fame, Fuseli painted at least three other versions of The Nightmare.

Interpretation of The Nightmare has varied widely. The canvas seems to portray simultaneously a dreaming woman and the content of her nightmare. The incubus and the horse's head refer to contemporary belief and folklore about nightmares, but have been ascribed more specific meanings by some theorists. Contemporary critics were taken aback by the overt sexuality of the painting, which has since been interpreted by some scholars as anticipating Freudian ideas about the subconscious." - quote source from a large article at WIkipedia, continue reading it here.

Print made by Thomas Burke After Henry Fuseli's Nightmare painting, 1783.

Hand colored etching made by Thomas Rowlandson, 1784.


Visit the Fuessli gallery at Visipix to see more of his incredible paintings.