Reading the Painting — Henry Fuseli’s ‘The Nightmare’
An 18th-century controversial artwork
Source-Wikipedia
“Last night I had her in bed with me-tossed my bedclothes hugger-mugger- wound my hot and tight-clasped hands about her-fused her body and soul together with my own-poured into her my spirit, breath, and strength. Anyone who touches her now commits adultery and incest! She is mine, and I am hers. And have her I will.”
This was the dream of Henry Fuseli, an Anglo-Swiss painter, who wrote a letter to one of his friends about his unrequited love, Anna Landolt.
Henry Fuseli’s The Nightmare is an 18th-century artwork that created a sensation amongst contemporary critics for its terrifying and creepier sexual depiction. This painting portrays a woman in deep sleep with her arms thrown below her, and a demonic apelike creature — incubus crouched on her chest. Mythologically, an incubus is a male demon who tries to engage in sexual activity with a sleeping woman.
The Nightmare is a classic example of “sublime art” and often associated with elements of darkness, turbulence, and loudness. A painting that induces feelings of fascination and fear at the same time — sounds like an oxymoron.
This artwork was first unveiled at London’s Royal Academy in 1782 and the academy noticed an increase of more than…
