Johann Heinrich Fűssli.

“Translation and engraving, however useful to man or dear to art is the unequivocal homage to inferiority offered by taste and talent to the majesty of genius.” – Fűssli.

Johann Heinrich Fűssli was born in 1741. He grew up in Zurich learning his skills from his father who was a painter. Fűssli copied famous works such as the frescoes from the ceiling of the Sistine chapel by Michelangelo. He began to develop his own style which had disturbing psychological overtones. Johann Heinrich Fűssli changed his name when he moves to England to Henry Fuseli. Fűssli was both a painter and engraver. He is best known for his engravings. His most famous work The Nightmare, of which he made many versions, has been parodied many times since.

Fűssli engraved many works and made prints to adorn the literary works of the likes of William Shakespeare. His works all show knowledge of the literary classics written in Latin, Greek and German (including the Nibelungenlied). Fűssli’s engraving was rivaled only by that of William Blake. Fűssli produced a very large number of works, the exact number is not known as some of his etchings were never finished. Fűssli favoured large paintings. In an exhibition to illustrate the life and works of John Milton, more than 50 paintings were exhibited, some as large as 12’ x 10’.

Style:

A former student of Fűssli’s remembered of his teacher: “I found him the most grotesque mixture of literature, art, scepticism, indelicacy, profanity, and kindness.” Lord Clark said of Fűssli’s drawings: “[they are] of a ferocious obscenity more frightening than provocative.” Fűssli had a characteristic interest in ‘the vague and insubstantial phantoms which haunt him like dim dreams the oppressed imagination.’

Fűssli was his own greatest critic saying: “All the best Engraver can do is mar your work and empty your pocket.” Fűssli’s style became well recognised and appreciated resulting in him being named a professor at the Royal Academy in 1799, where later in 1804 he became curator.