John Henry Fuseli

Nightmare

Picture

Real image

Description Romantic poets thought that creatures of the fantasy had the same

right to be subjects and protagonists n the course of literature, as well as real people. This phenomenon can also be seen in paintings. A sleeping woman is real, but the creature sitting on her stomach and the horse head are the nightmares. Actually, they are occupying the centre of the painting, the paralysed lady seems helpless in the face of the demons. Is it an image of the nightmare she is dreaming? Probably yes, but it can also be a terrible vision of nocturnal creatures which are freed at night by the darkness itself, and which are threatening the sleeping man. Is the scene static or dynamic? Static, the painting presents motionless characters. Would you call the atmosphere presented on the painting as creepy, fabulous, or peaceful? Creepy - a romantic painter would like his painting to be seen this way, but the little red devil is not too creepy at all.

The end