26th Annual Student Research Conference
Henry Fuseli: Sensations of the Erotic.
Allie M. Straussner
Dr. Julia DeLancey, Dr. Sara Orel, and Dr. Paul L. Yoder, Faculty Mentors
Henry Fuseli illustrated jarring, perverse and sensational scenes, and as such was a proto-Gothic master of horror and hallucination. In an international community of artists in England, Fuseli distinguished himself from other Romantic and Neo-Classical artist; he focused mainly on the literature of Shakespearean and Milton for inspiration but his work was also immersed in the themes and images of Gothic literature. The Gothic genre allowed Fuseli to articulate his personal obsessions with fear, sex, violence, and his imagination. The Royal Academy in England established Romanticism and Neo-Classical art as acceptable while Fuselis work did not fall under either category entirely. This paper will focus on iconic themes of sexual desire, imagination, obscure and dream-like visions within Fuselis work by analyzing paintings including The Nightmare and The Night-Hag Visiting Lapland Witches. Fuselis combination of diverse artistic interests and his personal obsessions succeeded in achieving artistic prominence in the nineteenth century.
Keywords: Henry Fuseli, Erotic , Gothic , Nightmares, Folklore, Sublime, Perverse, Dreams
Topic(s):Art - Art History
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 302-1
Location: OP 2117
Time: 1:00