The Nightmare
Henry Fuseli · 1781
Why it's great
A woman sleeps stretched backward on a bed as a creepy little creature sits on her chest and a horse's head peeks through the curtain. Fuseli's painting was a sensation in London in 1782, because it so vividly shows what it's like to have a bad dream. It's an early classic of the horror genre. It has inspired countless artists.
Where to see it
📍 Detroit Institute of ArtsDetroit, United States
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Henry Fuseli was born in Zurich, Switzerland, and moved to England as a young man. He became a professor at the Royal Academy in London. He loved stories of ghosts, witches, and nightmares and painted them with dramatic, wild imagination. His artwork influenced the Romantic movement and later the Surrealists.
