Henry Fuseli
1741–1825
Author of 'The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects', published in 1550 in Florence, Italy
Florentine Painter, Architect and Historiographer
Influences - Sir Joshua Reynolds, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, and Paolo Veneziano,
Cause of Death - Old Age
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Henry Fuseli Biography
He was born into a large artistic family, he had seventeen brothers and sisters, in Zurich, Switzerland. His father and uncles were well known portraits painters. While in college studying to be a minister, Fuseli was forced to flee Switzerland in fear for his life after helping a friend to expose a corrupt Swiss official. The ruling magistrates vindictive family vowed to cut off the young painters hands and poke out his eyes so he could no longer paint. Fuseli escaped to Germany, working as a writer and illustrator. In 1765 he journeyed to Great Britain where he met the legendary English painter, Sir Joshua Reynolds, the famous artist convinced Fuseli to dedicate his life totally to art.
Fuseli's paintings were
boldly original for
their time. He was drawn
to the mystical, and
believed that his
art-works were divinely
inspired. According to
his biographer, John
Knowles, "On one
occasion, the
conversation turned upon
ghosts and witches, in
the existence of which
he believed, and his
argument was "that great
and good men in all
times had believed in
them."
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