An Erotic Fantasy
1790/92
Medium
Pen and brown ink (recto and verso) on cream laid paper
Dimensions
15 × 9.1 cm (5 15/16 × 3 5/8 in.)
Classification
prints and drawing
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
269793
Art Historical Context
Henry Fuseli's *An Erotic Fantasy* (1790/92) is a captivating ink drawing that exemplifies the artist's fascination with the irrational and the sensual. Born in Switzerland and active in Britain, Fuseli was a key figure in the Romantic movement renowned for his dramatic, nightmarish visions inspired by Shakespeare, Milton, and Gothic literature. This intimate work on cream laid paper captures his penchant for exploring the subconscious and erotic undercurrents of human desire, blending fantasy with raw emotional intensity. Executed in pen and brown ink on both recto and verso, the drawing's m...
About the Artist
Henry Fuseli
Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), born Johann Heinrich Füssli in Zürich, was a Swiss-British painter whose visionary works exploring dreams, nightmares, and psychological terror made him one of the most original figures of the Romantic movement. His art bridged Neoclassical discipline with Romantic emotionalism, creating images of supernatural intensity that would influence artists from William Blake to t...