Fine Art Poster
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A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
The Nightmare (Study) - Johann Heinrich Füssli
Regular price
$29.00 USD
Sale price
$29.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
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Description
A study for the iconic Romantic painting, depicting a sleeping woman haunted by a spectral incubus and a ghostly horse.
This work is a study for the composition of The Nightmare, a painting that occupies a specific place in the history of European art. Johann Heinrich Füssli, also known as Henry Fuseli, explores the intersection of sleep, subconscious fear, and the supernatural. The scene depicts a woman in a deep, troubled slumber, her body draped across a bed. A grotesque, goblin-like creature sits upon her chest, while a spectral horse with glowing eyes emerges from the shadows behind a heavy curtain.
The composition relies on a stark contrast between the pale, illuminated form of the sleeping woman and the dark, murky surroundings. Füssli employs a dramatic use of light to draw attention to the physical vulnerability of the figure. The presence of the incubus and the equine apparition introduces elements of folklore and psychological terror, moving away from the rationalism of the preceding century. The brushwork is fluid, allowing for a sense of movement in the shadows and a tactile quality to the fabrics.
Füssli was a figure of the Enlightenment who nonetheless turned his gaze toward the irrational. His work often drew from literature, mythology, and the darker recesses of the human mind. This particular study captures the tension between the physical reality of the sleeping figures and the encroaching presence of the dream world. It is a representation of the anxieties that manifest during the night, rendered with a theatrical sensibility that was characteristic of his approach to painting. The muted palette and the focus on the psychological state of the subject provide a window into the transition toward Romanticism, where emotion and the subjective experience took precedence over classical order.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
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Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
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To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
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Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
The Nightmare (Study) - Johann Heinrich Füssli
Regular price
From $29.00 USD
Sale price
From $29.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Henry Fuseli
Fuseli reportedly ate raw pork chops before bed to induce nightmares for painting inspiration. The story may be apocryphal, but The Nightmare (1781), which shows a woman draped unconscious over a bed with an incubus squatting on her chest and a horse's head emerging from the darkness, suggests the method, if it existed, worked.
He was born Johann Heinrich Fussli in Zurich in 1741, the second of eighteen children. He was ordained as a minister in 1761 but forced to leave Switzerland after helping expose a corrupt magistrate. He spent eight years in Rome, changed his name from Fussli to the Italianate Fuseli, and arrived in London with a taste for the violent, the erotic, and the supernatural.
William Blake, not easily impressed, said of him: the only man that e'er I knew who did not make me almost spew. This was a compliment. Blake meant Fuseli was the only person who did not disgust him. Their friendship lasted decades. Fuseli married his model Sophia Rawlins in 1788. He became Keeper of the Royal Academy and grew increasingly conservative in his politics despite having started as a radical. He died in 1825, aged eighty-four, and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral.
He was born Johann Heinrich Fussli in Zurich in 1741, the second of eighteen children. He was ordained as a minister in 1761 but forced to leave Switzerland after helping expose a corrupt magistrate. He spent eight years in Rome, changed his name from Fussli to the Italianate Fuseli, and arrived in London with a taste for the violent, the erotic, and the supernatural.
William Blake, not easily impressed, said of him: the only man that e'er I knew who did not make me almost spew. This was a compliment. Blake meant Fuseli was the only person who did not disgust him. Their friendship lasted decades. Fuseli married his model Sophia Rawlins in 1788. He became Keeper of the Royal Academy and grew increasingly conservative in his politics despite having started as a radical. He died in 1825, aged eighty-four, and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral.
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The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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