Uneasy Beauty

John Henry Fuseli was one of the most inventive and original figures in British Art and, throughout his career, used the process of drawing to explore his thoughts and private fantasies. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Fuseli settled in London in 1765, and became well known for his dramatic paintings of scenes from Milton and Shakespeare. Fuseli was an important figure in intellectual and literary circles and it is through his drawings, which were never intended for exhibition, that we gain insight into his fascination with this theatrical and emotionally charged world. The drawings in this display were presented to the museum in 1896 by Francis Johnston, a local artist. They are some of Fuseli’s finest drawings and watercolours and illustrate the complex, and sometimes erotic, workings of his imagination. They are mainly studies of women, some with the elaborate hairstyles associated with actresses and prostitutes; others are tender portraits of his wife, Sophia Rawlins. The final drawing, Pylades and Orestes, illustrates the visionary and heroic aspect of classical literature that Fuseli particularly admired.

Website
www.nmni.com/um/What-s-on/Current-Exhibitions/Uneasy-Beauty

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk//ni000017?id=EVENT508772