Henry Fuseli

1741–1825

Henry Fuseli, ‘Lady Macbeth Seizing the Daggers’ ?exhibited 1812
Lady Macbeth Seizing the Daggers ?exhibited 1812
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Biography

Henry Fuseli (German: Johann Heinrich Füssli; 7 February 1741 – 17 April 1825) was a Swiss painter, draughtsman and writer on art who spent much of his life in Britain. Many of his works, such as The Nightmare, deal with supernatural subject-matter. He painted works for John Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery, and created his own "Milton Gallery". He held the posts of Professor of Painting and Keeper at the Royal Academy. His style had a considerable influence on many younger British artists, including William Blake.

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Romanticism

Artworks

Henry Fuseli, ‘Lady Macbeth Seizing the Daggers’ ?exhibited 1812

Henry Fuseli Lady Macbeth Seizing the Daggers

?exhibited 1812
On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art T00733
Henry Fuseli, ‘Titania and Bottom’ c.1790

Henry Fuseli Titania and Bottom

c.1790
On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art N01228
Henry Fuseli, ‘The Shepherd’s Dream, from ‘Paradise Lost’’ 1793

Henry Fuseli The Shepherd’s Dream, from ‘Paradise Lost’

1793
T00876
Henry Fuseli, ‘Percival Delivering Belisane from the Enchantment of Urma’ exhibited 1783

Henry Fuseli Percival Delivering Belisane from the Enchantment of Urma

exhibited 1783
N05304
Henry Fuseli, ‘The Debutante’ 1807

Henry Fuseli The Debutante

1807
N03396

Henry Fuseli A Sheet of Studies: Three Figures of Recumbent Women. A Head of a Man. Verso: Half Length Figure of a Woman in Profile, and a Study of a Head and Arm; a Nude Male Figure

date not known
T08912
Henry Fuseli, ‘Self-Portrait and Anatomical Studies. Verso: Two Male Anatomical Studies’ 1783

Henry Fuseli Self-Portrait and Anatomical Studies. Verso: Two Male Anatomical Studies

1783
View by appointment T08242

Henry Fuseli Self-Portrait as a Faun. Verso: Head of a Woman Three-Quarters to Left

date not known
View by appointment T08879
See all 12

Artist as subject

Henry Fuseli, ‘Self-Portrait and Anatomical Studies. Verso: Two Male Anatomical Studies’ 1783

Henry Fuseli Self-Portrait and Anatomical Studies. Verso: Two Male Anatomical Studies

1783
View by appointment T08242

Henry Fuseli Self-Portrait as a Faun. Verso: Head of a Woman Three-Quarters to Left

date not known
View by appointment T08879
Hampstead Artists Council (London, UK), ‘Hampstead Artists’ Council souvenir exhibition catalogue titled ‘Hampstead Artists Past and Present’’ 1946

Hampstead Artists Council (London, UK) Hampstead Artists’ Council souvenir exhibition catalogue titled ‘Hampstead Artists Past and Present’

1946
TGA 20052/2/15/5

Features
Tate Etc

Details, Details: Henry Fuseli's Titania and Bottom c.1790

Lynne Vallone

A diminutive figure at the heart of Fuseli's painting sparks a wealth of associations

Sir Thomas Lawrence, ‘Homer Reciting his Poems’ 1790
Art Term

Bitumen

Bitumen is a naturally-occurring, non-drying, tarry substance used in paint mixtures, especially to enrich the appearance of dark tones

John Martin, ‘The Great Day of His Wrath’ 1851–3
Art Term

Sublime

Theory developed by Edmund Burke in the mid eighteenth century, where he defined sublime art as art that refers to ...

William Blake, ‘Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing’ c.1786
Art Term

Fairy painting

Fairy painting is particularly associated with the Victorian period, art that depicts fairies and other subjects from the supernatural

William Blake, ‘Frontispiece to ‘Visions of the Daughters of Albion’’ c.1795
Art Term

Romanticism

Term in use by the early nineteenth century to describe the movement in art and literature distinguished by a new ...

Henry Fuseli, ‘Titania and Bottom’ c.1790
Blog

Work of the Week: 'Titania and Bottom' by Henry Fuseli

Naomi Richmond-Swift

‘My Oberon! what visions have I seen! Methought I was enamoured of an ass.’

John Martin The Eve of the Deluge 1840
Blog

John Martin: here comes the Flood

Martin Myrone

This is John Martin’s ‘Eve of the Deluge’, one of a pair of paintings on the theme of the ...

William Blake, ‘The Penance of Jane Shore in St Paul’s Church’ c.1793
Tate Papers

An Alternative National Gallery: Blake’s 1809 Exhibition and the Attack on Evangelical Culture

Susan Matthews

This essay suggests that Blake’s 1809 exhibition was haunted by the memory of the Irish painter James Barry (1741 ...

William Blake, ‘The Bard, from Gray’ ?1809
Tate Papers

Lost in the Crowd: Blake and London in 1809

Philippa Simpson

This article explores why William Blake’s solo exhibition of 1809 has been such an important source for understanding his ...

Henry Fuseli The Nightmare circa 1781–2
Tate Etc

We all have dreaming minds, and we are all capable of being terrified

Patrick McGrath and Louise Welsh

Gothic Nightmares

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