Henry Fuseli

A DigitalNZ Story by Sienna Latham

Fuseli, a Swiss-born British draughtsman and painter, turned from theology to art with a pilgrimage to Italy in 1770. His works explore the mythological, the supernatural and the classical. I think the ink and wash pieces are the real stars here, with their delicate intensity and unexpectedly modern composition.

romanticism, mythology, milton, shakespeare, magic, allegory

Image: Study for the three witches in Macbeth

Study for the three witches in Macbeth

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Mrs Fuseli sleeping

Mrs Fuseli sleeping

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Mrs Fuseli seated at a table

Mrs Fuseli seated at a table

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Bust Portrait of Mrs Fuseli

Bust Portrait of Mrs Fuseli

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Aphrodite carrying off Paris after his battle with Menelaus

Aphrodite carrying off Paris after his battle with Menelaus

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: A Woman with a fan, standing, seen from the back

A Woman with a fan, standing, seen from the back

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: A Woman on a balcony with high dressed hair and hat

A Woman on a balcony with high dressed hair and hat

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Virgil, Dante and Geryon

Virgil, Dante and Geryon

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: A Woman standing, seen from the back, drawing a curtain aside

A Woman standing, seen from the back, drawing a curtain aside

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: A Woman Standing, Attending to a Man, with a Standing Male Nude Seen from the Back

A Woman Standing, Attending to a Man, with a Standing Male Nude Seen from the Back

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Chriemhild throwing herself on the body of Siegfried, assassinated by Hagen

Chriemhild throwing herself on the body of Siegfried, assassinated by Hagen

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Portrait of Lavinia de Irujo

Portrait of Lavinia de Irujo

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Caius Marius and the Cimbrian Soldier

Caius Marius and the Cimbrian Soldier

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Siegfried and Chriemhild

Siegfried and Chriemhild

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: A Capriccio of the Horse Tamers

A Capriccio of the Horse Tamers

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Amavia finds her knight, Sir Mordant, bewitched in Acrasia's Bower of Bliss

Amavia finds her knight, Sir Mordant, bewitched in Acrasia's Bower of Bliss

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: David and Goliath

David and Goliath

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Ixion and Nephele

Ixion and Nephele

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Three women at a curtained window

Three women at a curtained window

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Ixion slaying Phorbas and Polymelus in revenge of his mother, Megara, who, having refused them as suitors, was killed by them

Ixion slaying Phorbas and Polymelus in revenge of his mother, Megara, who, having refused them as suitors, was killed by them

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Allegory of Vanity

Allegory of Vanity

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Death and Sin bridging the 'Waste' of chaos and met by Satan on his return from Earth

Death and Sin bridging the 'Waste' of chaos and met by Satan on his return from Earth

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Undine and Huldbrand

Undine and Huldbrand

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Circe absolving Medea and Jason of the killing of Medea's brother Absyrtos

Circe absolving Medea and Jason of the killing of Medea's brother Absyrtos

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Achilles crying out at the trench, confusing the Trojan Army

Achilles crying out at the trench, confusing the Trojan Army

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: The Great Father and Ancient Night

The Great Father and Ancient Night

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Selene and Endymion

Selene and Endymion

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Satan leaving the gate of Hell, guarded by Sin and Death

Satan leaving the gate of Hell, guarded by Sin and Death

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Siegfried having slain Fafner the snake

Siegfried having slain Fafner the snake

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Prometheus and Io

Prometheus and Io

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Two Courtesans with fantastic hairstyles and hats

Two Courtesans with fantastic hairstyles and hats

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: The Serpent tempting Eve (Satan's first address to Eve)

The Serpent tempting Eve (Satan's first address to Eve)

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Lycidas

Lycidas

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Adam resolved to share the fate of Eve

Adam resolved to share the fate of Eve

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Shakespeare: Macbeth, Act I, Scene III

Shakespeare: Macbeth, Act I, Scene III

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Shakespeare: Tempest, Act I, Scene II

Shakespeare: Tempest, Act I, Scene II

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Shakespeare: Midsummer-Night's Dream, Act IV, Scene I: A wood - Titania, Queen of the fairies, Bottom, fairies attending

Shakespeare: Midsummer-Night's Dream, Act IV, Scene I: A wood - Titania, Queen of the fairies, Bottom, fairies attending

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Weird Sisters

Weird Sisters

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki