The Nightmare, 1781 Henry Fuseli (1741-1825)

We create our paintings with museum quality and covering the highest academic standards. Once we get your order, it will be entirely hand-painted with oil on canvas. All the materials we use are the highest level, being totally artist graded painting materials and linen canvas.

We will add 1.6" (4 cm) additional blank canvas all over the painting for stretching.

High quality and detailing in every inch are time consuming. The reproduction of Henry Fuseli also needs time to dry in order to be completely ready for shipping, as this is crucial to not be damaged during transportation.
Based on the size, level of detail and complexity we need 8-9 weeks to complete the process.

In case the delivery date needs to be extended in time, or we are overloaded with requests, there will be an email sent to you sharing the new timelines of production and delivery.

TOPofART wants to remind you to keep patient, in order to get you the highest quality, being our mission to fulfill your expectations.

We not stretch and frame our oil paintings due to several reasons:
Painting reproduction is a high quality expensive product, which we cannot risk to damage by sending it being stretched.
Also, there are postal restrictions, regarding the size of the shipment.
Additionally, due to the dimensions of the stretched canvas, the shipment price may exceed the price of the product itself.

You can stretch and frame your painting in your local frame-shop.

Once the painting The Nightmare is ready and dry, it will be shipped to your delivery address. The canvas will be rolled-up in a secure postal tube.

We offer free shipping as well as paid express transportation services.

After adding your artwork to the shopping cart, you will be able to check the delivery price using the Estimate Shipping and Tax tool.

The paintings we create are only of museum quality. Our academy graduated artists will never allow a compromise in the quality and detail of the ordered painting. TOPofART do not work, and will never allow ourselves to work with low quality studios from the Far East. We are based in Europe, and quality is our highest priority.

Henry Fuseli's "The Nightmare," painted in 1781, remains one of the most iconic images of the Romantic imagination. In this haunting work, Fuseli delves deep into the psychological realm of dreams, fear, and the unknown. The scene is chilling, not because of any overt violence, but because of the eerie stillness, the quiet domination of a demon-like figure perched on the chest of a vulnerable woman. The incubus, symbolizing the weight of dread, stares directly at the viewer, while the woman lies in a contorted, unconscious state, draped in a white gown that accentuates her helplessness.

The palette Fuseli uses is dark and muted, which amplifies the unsettling atmosphere. The shadowy background hides a grotesque horse, with wild eyes peering from behind a heavy curtain - a surreal figure that adds to the disorientation. The contrast between the pale, almost ethereal woman and the deep shadows creates a sense of isolation and vulnerability. The reds, particularly in the curtain and the draped cloth, are striking but not overwhelming - they act as subtle reminders of the tension and anxiety lurking in the scene.

Fuseli’s technique is all about exaggeration. The woman’s twisted posture, the grotesque features of the incubus, and the exaggerated expression of the horse all create an otherworldly sensation. The composition itself is deliberately unsettling - the viewer’s eye is drawn across the canvas in a way that evokes a sense of unease. The figures are almost claustrophobically positioned, yet there’s an uncanny stillness to the whole scene, as if time itself has been suspended.

"The Nightmare" goes beyond being a mere depiction of fear. It taps into universal anxieties - fear of the unknown, of losing control, of being dominated by forces beyond our comprehension. This painting is a masterclass in psychological drama, and Fuseli expertly uses light, shadow, and composition to craft a scene that lingers in the viewer’s mind long after they've looked away.