Henry Fuseli’s ‘The Nightmare’ and its lasting impact on art

Fuseli’s haunting masterpiece continues to captivate audiences with its gothic allure.

The Nightmare I, 1781, by Henry Fuseli. Found in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Art. © Fine Art/Heritage/Getty Images

By Hayu Andini and Sarah Oktaviany

Creator of Nightmares: Henry Fuseli’s Art and Life, by Christopher Baker

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In December 1936, the Museum of Modern Art in New York unveiled Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism, an exhibition that showcased a wide range of artwork—from mannerist paintings to Disney animation, as well as pieces created by children and individuals diagnosed as mentally ill. Among the diverse collection, Henry Fuseli’s The Nightmare (1790-91) stood out, positioned between an 18th-century French memento mori and Thomas Cole’s The Titan’s Goblet (1833). The eerie painting, depicting a sleeping woman overshadowed by an incubus and a ghostly horse, has remained one of the most disturbing images in Western art.

The haunting legacy of The Nightmare

Henry Fuseli’s The Nightmare has transcended time, embedding itself into popular culture and influencing gothic imagery across centuries. Art historian Christopher Baker notes in Creator of Nightmares: Henry Fuseli’s Art and Life that The Nightmare has overshadowed its creator:

Many people would be able to summon up in their mind’s eye an image of the painting as it has retained an uncanny quality of recognition, but few could plot the life and career of its extraordinary creator.

Born in Zurich in 1741, Fuseli came from a family of artists. His father, siblings, and even extended relatives pursued careers in the arts. However, Fuseli’s first calling was in the Protestant Church. He studied at the Collegium Carolinum, where he immersed himself in literature, drawing inspiration from Homer, Dante, and Shakespeare—works that would later influence his paintings.

After his ordination in 1761, Fuseli’s outspoken views and involvement in a controversial pamphlet forced him to flee Zurich by 1763. Traveling across Germany, he encountered prominent intellectuals and philosophers, broadening his artistic and literary pursuits. He was credited with a powerful imagination and an unorthodox approach to art, traits that would define his career.

The artistic evolution of Henry Fuseli

Fuseli’s artistic breakthrough came after meeting Joshua Reynolds, who was soon to become the president of the Royal Academy of Arts. Impressed by Fuseli’s drawings, Reynolds encouraged him to pursue painting. Following this advice, Fuseli traveled to Italy in 1770, where he studied classical and Renaissance works, refining his dramatic and often unsettling style.

His defining moment arrived in 1782, when The Nightmare debuted at the Royal Academy. The painting became a sensation, shocking and captivating audiences with its haunting imagery. The unsettling depiction of a sleeping woman, her body contorted and pale, combined with the demonic incubus perched on her chest and the spectral horse peering through the shadows, evoked a sense of psychological horror unseen in previous European paintings.

The public reaction to The Nightmare was intense. While some found it grotesque and disturbing, others were fascinated by its raw portrayal of subconscious fears. The painting’s popularity led Fuseli to create three additional versions, each varying slightly in composition but retaining the same eerie essence.

Following the success of The Nightmare, Fuseli continued to produce chilling and evocative works, many inspired by literature. His Shakespearean paintings, particularly his depictions of the witches from Macbeth, showcased his ability to translate literary terror into visual form. He also embarked on an ambitious project illustrating John Milton’s Paradise Lost, though financial struggles nearly bankrupted him.

By the 1790s, Fuseli had cemented his status as an establishment figure in the art world. His dramatic, gothic approach influenced later Romantic painters, including Francisco Goya and William Blake. Fuseli’s impact extended beyond the canvas, shaping the visual language of horror in literature and film. The unsettling gaze of the horse in The Nightmare has been linked to the iconic severed horse head scene in The Godfather, demonstrating the painting’s enduring psychological impact.

The psychological horror of The Nightmare

What makes The Nightmare so disturbing, even centuries after its creation? The answer lies in its composition and psychological depth. The painting suggests impending violence, yet it remains ambiguous, leaving the viewer unsettled. Unlike the grotesque and chaotic scenes of Hieronymus Bosch, Fuseli’s nightmare is intimate, focusing on a single victim and her spectral tormentors.

The eerie horse, with its bulging eyes and unsettling grin, lacks direct menace but adds to the surreal atmosphere. The incubus, however, is the true focal point—his piercing gaze is not locked on the sleeping woman, but rather on the viewer, as if acknowledging their intrusion into this nightmare realm. This element of direct engagement intensifies the painting’s unsettling effect, making the viewer feel complicit in the eerie scene.

Fuseli’s final years and legacy

Fuseli’s later years were marked by recognition and influence. He became a professor of painting at the Royal Academy and mentored a new generation of artists. He remained a vibrant figure in the art world until his death in 1825. His younger contemporaries, including Thomas Lawrence and Benjamin Haydon, mourned his passing, and he was laid to rest in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral, near his mentor Joshua Reynolds.

Christopher Baker’s Creator of Nightmares provides a concise yet engaging introduction to Fuseli’s life and work. While the book is lighter on illustrations than some might hope, it captures the artist’s unique vision and his place in art history. Compared to more literary biographies, such as Peter Ackroyd’s William Blake, Baker’s work is more straightforward, focusing on Fuseli’s artistic journey rather than indulging in narrative flourishes.

One anecdote highlights Fuseli’s wit—when criticized for depicting a boat too small in The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, he reportedly quipped, “That’s part of the miracle.” Such moments reveal the humor and irreverence that made him a complex and fascinating figure.

Henry Fuseli’s The Nightmare remains one of the most recognizable and influential paintings in Western art. Its haunting imagery and psychological depth have captivated audiences for centuries, inspiring artists, filmmakers, and writers. Christopher Baker’s Creator of Nightmares sheds light on Fuseli’s artistic evolution, offering valuable insights into the man behind the masterpiece. As long as gothic horror continues to intrigue and unsettle, The Nightmare will remain a timeless symbol of the darker corners of the human imagination.

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