September
13
HL Part 4: Gothic Fiction
Henry Fuseli (1741–1825), The Nightmare (1781), oil on canvas, 101.6 × 127 cm, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI. Wikimedia Commons.
Fuseli’s famous painting “The Nightmare” (1781) is said to have inspired the writing of both Shelley’s Frankenstein and Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher (both texts we will study as part of our Gothic fiction unit!)
Comment below with your initial response to Fuseli’s painting.
What dominates the image?
What kind of atmosphere is created? What kind of emotions could it evoke in a viewer?
My initial response to this painting was confusion as I did not understand what I was seeing, but after looking at it for a minute I felt a bit scared as I feel that the picture is very dark.
What dominates the image?
I feel that the woman that is either dead or asleep and the monkey on her are what dominate this image as they are in the center. The woman is also very bright and you look at her first and then the monkey. I also feel that they represent the dominate theme of this picture, which would be monsters during the night and possibly the supernatural.
What kind of atmosphere is created? What kind of emotions could it evoke in a viewer?
I feel that the atmosphere created with this image is one of fear as the donkey and the monkey are clearly monsters and appear to be with this woman as she is asleep, and considering that even from a young age people are scared of the dark and believe that there are monsters that come out at night. The image could very easily create an atmosphere of fear. Furthermore, the majority of the image is very dark which creates an atmosphere of uncertainty and mystery. With this and the atmosphere of fear, the image creates a dark and somewhat scary atmosphere as you might not completely understand what you are seeing. I believe that this would evoke emotions such as fear and horror as the picture depicts what for some people is their worst nightmare.
my initial response to this painting is that it gives a very dark theme, and the woman lying down is having a nightmare, which connects the story to the title of the painting. i think that the dark horse in the background is the nightmare and the creature that is sitting on the woman is somewhat of a guard to protect the woman from the nightmare. the creature is the dominates the images since he determines if the nightmare is allowed to take over the woman’s mind. the emotions that could evoke in the viewer is probably curiosity (why the creature is protecting the woman) as well as darkness such as the nightmare and all of the darker colors in the painting such as black and dark red, could also give this impression
It’s a nice interpretation, however wouldn’t the creature on top of the woman be painted with brighter colors to show him as being ‘pure’ or as a guardian to the woman?
My initial response to this painting was a feeling of anxiety due to the two creatures on, and beside the unconscious lady. The unconscious woman, and the monster on top of her dominate the image as they are the main subjects of the painting, and take up most of the center space.
-What kind of atmosphere is created and what kind of emotions could it evoke in a viewer?
A dark, tense atmosphere is created when seeing this picture with juxtaposition used. The lady is regarded as ‘pure’ with her bright, white dress while the monster is not. Also, the monster shown is on top of her, to show him as being more powerful than her.
Primarily, emotions of fear would be evoked while viewing this painting, due to its dark tone, and colors. The two monsters close to the woman help reinforce the idea of ‘monsters in the dark’, which can be quite relatable to most people when they were children.
What dominates the image?
My first impression of the artwork was that the painter used strong contrast between light and dark. The part of the painting that caught my eye, was the lady dressed in white lying on a bed (either unconscious, sleeping, or in the realm between life and death)- white is a color that is used to represent purity, therefore I believe that the darkness surrounding her is meant to represent the creatures ‘tainting’ it. The artist used contrasting colors to express the vast difference between the lady with blonde hair and pale skin, and the creature laying on her chest and standing behind her, with an almost demonic appearance. The idea of darkness dominates the image, and the title of the painting ‘The Nightmare’ suggests that the woman suffers from terrible dreams.
What kind of atmosphere is created? What kind of emotions could it evoke in a viewer?
The colors that Henry Fuseli used in this painting help establish a somber and intense atmosphere, with the use of murky colors such as black, white, and dark red. These colors emphasize an enclosed atmosphere that gives a feeling of not being able to escape. Once again, the title of the painting, ‘The Nightmare’, can depict common fears in our lives that are represented through our dreams. When we see something frightening, each person reacts differently to the stimulus- for example, this painting can evoke feelings of paranoia, anxiety, and uneasiness in a viewer.
My first impression of this painting is darkness. As the title automatically points towards this theme it puts more emphasis on the monsters, for example the monkey and horse in the background, as well as introducing a somber effect through the use of colour and composition of the painting. The contrast between the lady in white and the dark monster sitting on top of her definitely dominate the drawing seeing as the white of her dress is so pure and bright compared to the rest of the objects present. This draws the viewer directly towards this aspect of the painting as it is irregular compared the rest making it stand out.
In my opinion, the atmosphere created is a somber and dark atmosphere that Fuseli creates through the contrast involved which puts emphasis on the two parts of the painting; innocence vs monsters. White is universally known to represent peace and innocence which indicates that the monsters present on top of the lady and behind the curtain in the background are the ‘Nightmares’ of the painting. Furthermore, the lady is sleeping/unconscious, adding to the dark atmosphere as the monsters are present at her most vulnerable time and when she is unaware of it. This also links to the world-wide fear of monsters in the dark and monsters in our dreams. I think that the fact that the monsters are present in the painting as the lady is sleeping is a composition that Fuseli uses to show the viewer what it is that ‘haunts’ her dreams as a way to ensure us that everyone has their own kind of monsters in their dreams and that the only way to overcome them is by facing them directly.
because the women is wearing white she is the focal point of the painting; however dark figures are surrounding her in either her sleep; or death either way in a vulnerable state.The two demons are very different however are still really dark and gloomy creating a scary effect. The demon in which is on top is the centre of the painting therefore that is the next point of focus. That ‘demon’ looks like an gargoyle because of the position in which he/she is sitting in.
The atmosphere is very gloomy and dark because of the colours in the background.The demons that surround the ‘pure’ women who is not conscious and present in the moment. give an creepy and scary theme.
When I look at this picture it intrigues me. It makes me wonder how this moment in time came to be, what happened before this was painted, did it continue after?
The first things you see are the woman and of course the goblin creature on her. It dominates the image because of its bizarreness. You’d never really experience this in real life, so it makes you wonder if you ever had once. Also, when you look at it, it leaves you with an unsettling feeling that you can explain.
The atmosphere is very dark, you realize that first off. It isn’t scary or frightening in the sense of imagery but more in the sense of emotion. Like we learned today the difference between horror and terror, this photo would be under the category of terror.
My initial response to the painting was trepidation. I first believed, that the creature was evil and had killed the woman in white. The artist used the white dress the woman is wearing to symbolize purity. The artist creates an illusion of the women that corresponds with the appearance of an angel. In the painting, the supernatural creature is representing darkness and evil as the artist used the background as a shadow to signify the darkness of the situation. The two creatures are nervewracking but are painted in a way to appear realistic which relates to the title of the painting ‘The Nightmare”.
In my opinion, the atmosphere that the painting gives off is an utter terror as I believe that this painting represents the aspect of terror. Additionally, the painting oddly gives off a vibe of suspense and the need to know what happened after or what is happening at the moment. The painting is made to confuse the viewer and making them feel threatened the longer they stare at the creatures. The lady in white is there as juxtaposition against the evil creatures. The artist put the women there to highlight the terror of the evil creatures lurking in the back giving the illusion that they are just in your shadow.
I think that the painter creates this atmosphere to make the viewer ponder over what happens in the outside world when you’re dreaming or having a nightmare inside your head.