Henry Fuseli
Fuseli reportedly ate raw pork chops before bed to induce nightmares for painting inspiration. The story may be apocryphal, but The Nightmare (1781), which shows a woman draped unconscious over a bed with an incubus squatting on her chest and a horse's head emerging from the darkness, suggests the method, if it existed, worked.
Biography
He was born Johann Heinrich Fussli in Zurich in 1741, the second of eighteen children. He was ordained as a minister in 1761 but forced to leave Switzerland after helping expose a corrupt magistrate. He spent eight years in Rome, changed his name from Fussli to the Italianate Fuseli, and arrived in London with a taste for the violent, the erotic, and the supernatural.
William Blake, not easily impressed, said of him: the only man that e'er I knew who did not make me almost spew. This was a compliment. Blake meant Fuseli was the only person who did not disgust him. Their friendship lasted decades. Fuseli married his model Sophia Rawlins in 1788. He became Keeper of the Royal Academy and grew increasingly conservative in his politics despite having started as a radical. He died in 1825, aged eighty-four, and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral.
Timeline
- 1741Born Johann Heinrich Fussli in Zurich, the second of eighteen children of the portrait painter Johann Caspar Fussli.
- 1761Ordained as a Zwinglian minister aged 20, but was soon forced to leave Switzerland after helping his friend Lavater expose a corrupt magistrate.
- 1764Arrived in London aged 23 at the suggestion of the British ambassador in Berlin. Met Joshua Reynolds, who urged him to devote himself entirely to art.
- 1770Travelled to Rome aged 29 and spent eight years studying Michelangelo and classical sculpture. Changed his name from Fussli to the Italianate Fuseli.
- 1781Completed The Nightmare aged 40, back in London. When exhibited at the Royal Academy the following year, it caused a sensation and secured his reputation.
- 1790Elected a full Royal Academician aged 49, presenting Thor Battering the Midgard Serpent as his diploma work.
- 1799Appointed Professor of Painting at the Royal Academy aged 58. Also opened his Milton Gallery of 47 large paintings, though it proved a commercial failure.
- 1825Died aged 84 at Putney Hill, London. Buried in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral alongside Reynolds and other Royal Academicians.
Notable Works
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Where to See Henry Fuseli
13 museums worldwide.
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25 works
Kunsthaus Zürich
Zurich, Switzerland
Tue-Wed & Fri-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu 10:00-20:00, closed Mon · CHF 24 (collection); CHF 31 (major exhibition)
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9 works
Yale Center for British Art
New Haven, United States
Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 12:00–17:00; closed Mon · Free
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6 works
Victoria and Albert Museum
London, United Kingdom
Mon-Thu 10:00-17:45, Fri 10:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:45 · Free
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See all Henry Fuseli prints →Frequently Asked Questions
Henry fuseli art movement?
Henry Fuseli's art culminated in Early Romanticism in Britain.What was henry fuseli known for?
Henry Fuseli is known for depicting the revenge taken by Oberon, king of the fairies, on his wife Titania from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.When did henry fuseli die?
Henry Fuseli died in 1825 at the age of 84.Who is henry fuseli?
John Henry Fuseli was a Swiss-born painter whose art culminated in Early Romanticism in Britain. He initially intended to be a theologian.Who was henry fuseli?
John Henry Fuseli was a Swiss-born painter who studied with Johann Jakob Bodmer in Zurich. He initially intended to be a theologian, but he is known for plumbing the innermost recesses of the mind and the incomprehensible forces within nature.Why did henry fuseli paint the nightmare?
The biography does not state why Henry Fuseli painted The Nightmare. However, one source suggests that the portrait on the reverse of the painting is of Anna Landoldt, the woman Fuseli loved, but his suit was rejected.What art movement is henry fuseli's the nightmare?
According to one source, Henry Fuseli's The Nightmare addresses the concept of the nightmare. Another source notes that the painting reflects the taste for the fantastic, the occult, and the macabre.What was henry fuseli's famous painting called?
Henry Fuseli's famous painting was called The Nightmare.When was henry fuseli born?
Henry Fuseli was born in 1741 in Switzerland. Henry Fuseli died in 1825, aged 84.Where did henry fuseli live?
Henry Fuseli was born in Zurich, but he later moved to London. He also lived in Rome for eight years.What medium did henry fuseli use?
Henry Fuseli used oil on canvas, as seen in his 1781 painting, Portrait of a Young Woman.What challenges did henry fuseli face?
Henry Fuseli was forced to leave Switzerland after helping expose a corrupt magistrate. In 1764, he moved to London.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Henry Fuseli.
- [1] museum Royal Shakespeare Theatre Used for: museum holdings.
- [2] museum Royal Academy of Arts Used for: museum holdings.
- [3] museum Whitworth Art Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
- [4] museum Walker Art Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
- [5] museum Kunstmuseum Basel Used for: museum holdings.
- [6] museum Klassik Stiftung Weimar Used for: museum holdings.
- [7] book Penelope J.E. Davies, Walter B. Denny, Frima Fox Hofrichter, Joseph Jacobs, Ann S. Roberts, David L. Simon, Janson's History of Art_ The Western Tradition (8th Edition) Used for: biography.
- [8] book Masterpieces of western art : a history of art in 900 individual studies from the Gothic to the present day Used for: biography.
- [9] book Neoclassicism and romanticism : architecture, sculpture, painting, drawings, 1750-1848 Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-07-15. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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