Henry Fuseli's The Nightmare is a symbol of emotional torment, obsession, and sexual desire. He pain
Henry Fuseli's The Nightmare is a symbol of emotional torment, obsession, and sexual desire. He painted several versions of this work, which suggests that his obsession was a lasting one, and not without reason. Fuseli was madly in love with a woman named Anna Landolt, whom he met in Zurich. He wanted to marry her, but as he was too poor, he kept his intentions hidden from her. Fuseli poured out his feelings through letters and poetry that he sent to his friends and wrote for himself. One such letter dated June 16, 1779, written to the man who introduced Fuseli to Anna, reads:“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 her 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… What God or Nature hath joined, let no man—let no business-man sunder.”At the time of this letter, Landolt was set to marry a wealthy merchant. A few choice words – “anyone who touches her now commits adultery…” … “let no business-man sunder” – make Fuseli’s passion for this woman and his jealousy of her fiance clear. The Nightmare was completed only a couple years after this letter was written. The painting may be analogous to Fuseli and Landolt’s relationship: perhaps the sleeping woman is Landolt, unaware of Fuseli’s passions, and Fuseli is the imp, eerily crouching on top of her, looking out mischievously anticipating the moment when he will act. -- source link
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