What is fusseli?

Johann Heinrich Füssli (1741-1825), also known as Henry Fuseli, was a Swiss painter who lived and worked in Britain for most of his career. He was a leading figure in the Romantic movement and is best known for his dramatic and often fantastical paintings, which often depicted supernatural and mythological scenes.

Füssli was born in Zurich and initially trained as a theologian, but he left the church to pursue a career in art. He studied in Italy and Switzerland before moving to London in 1765, where he became associated with the Royal Academy of Arts.

Füssli's works were heavily influenced by the Gothic literature of the time, as well as by his interest in mythology and the occult. His best-known works include "The Nightmare," which depicts a woman being visited by a demon while she sleeps, and "Titania and Bottom," which shows the fairy queen Titania falling in love with the character from Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

Füssli's work was highly controversial in its time, but it had a significant influence on later artists, including the French Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix. Today, his works are considered masterpieces of the Romantic era and are highly prized by collectors and art enthusiasts.