1) HORROR and the GOTHIC

The Nightmare, by Henry Fuseli, 1781

1) Hide the screen of your laptop from your partner and describe the painting while he/she must draw it. Do NOT give the title!

VOCABULARY TOOL BOX:

- on the left-hand side / on the right-hand side

- at the bottom / at the top

- in the middle = in the center

- in the background / in the foreground

- above / under - behind / in front of

- lie (lie / lay / lain): be in a horizontal position on a surface - spread

- squat or crouch: to sit in a crouching position with knees bent and the buttocks on or near the heels

- stare: look fixedly

- curtains - a bedside table - a mirror

"In Fuseli’s startling composition, a woman bathed in white light stretches across a bed, her arms, neck, and head hanging off the end of the mattress. An apelike figure crouches on her chest while a horse with glowing eyes and flared nostrils emerges from the shadowy background."

2) DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND ABOUT THIS PAINTING: READ THIS ESSAY

a- What strikes you about the woman's figure and attitude?

b- What does the little monster stand for?

c- Why is there a horse's head in the background?

"This has been an icon of horror ever since it was first exhibited to the public at the annual Royal Academy exhibition in London in 1782. The painting draws on folklore, science and classical art to create a new kind of sexually-charged image. Fuseli wanted the painting to shock and intrigue, as well as to make a name for himself. In this he succeeded triumphantly. The work has been copied and lampooned many times." (extract from The Tate museum's website)

d- Read the text above and find out:

d.1. What was Fuseli's goal with this painting? Did he achieve it?

d.2. What makes this painting different from others at the time, in the 18th century?

e- This painting is said to have inspired many an artist, specially writers from the 19th century, like Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe or Bram Stocker.

What famous stories did these authors write?