author
Henry Fuseli
1741–1825
Known for eerie, dreamlike scenes and a taste for the dramatic, this Swiss-born artist became one of the most distinctive imaginations of the Romantic era in Britain. His paintings often draw on Shakespeare, Milton, and classical myth, with "The Nightmare" remaining his best-known work.
4 Audiobooks
The Life and Writings of Henry Fuseli, Volume 2 (of 3)
by Henry Fuseli
Lectures on painting, delivered at the Royal Academy : With additional observations and notes
by Henry Fuseli
The Life and Writings of Henry Fuseli, Volume 3 (of 3)
by Henry Fuseli
The Life and Writings of Henry Fuseli, Volume 1 (of 3)
by Henry Fuseli
About the author
Born in Zurich in 1741 as Johann Heinrich Füssli, he first studied for the church before turning toward art and literature. After leaving Switzerland, he built his career largely in London, where he became known in English as Henry Fuseli.
His work stood out for its intensity: supernatural visions, heroic figures, and unsettling psychological drama appear again and again in his paintings and drawings. He drew inspiration from writers such as Shakespeare and Milton, and his 1781 painting The Nightmare became especially famous for its strange, haunting power.
Fuseli was more than a painter. He also wrote and lectured about art, became a member of the Royal Academy, and later served for many years as Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools, where he influenced younger artists. He died in 1825, leaving behind a body of work that still feels bold, theatrical, and unsettlingly modern.