Henry Fuseli

1741 – 1825

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Evening Thou Bringest All 1802

Original pen and tusche lithograph.

The most famous early pen lithograph. A very fine, strong impression in the first state, prior to the imprint of the Polyautographic Office, on original aquatint backing sheet, as released in the first issue of Specimens of Polyautography, published in 1803 by Philipp André. This highly significant publication included only 12 pen lithographs and was the first publication of its kind, worldwide.
It is rare to find this early pen lithograph prior to the imprint of the Polyautographic Office, on an original aquatint mount, as issued.

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The celebrated Swiss artist Johann Heinrich Füssli, better known in Britain as Henry Fuseli, had become friends with Alexander Runciman whilst in Rome during the mid-1760’s. Aside from the impact of the works of Michelangelo and the high Renaissance which surrounded him in Italy, H.Fuseli was much influenced by the wild and extravagant style of Runciman’s art which appealed greatly to his own bizarre imagination. After Henry Fuseli’s move to England he developed this style in his own distinct manner to create a novel and highly stylised portrayal of expressive figures which formed a new aspect of Romantic art tinged by both beauty and horror – this style is epitomised in his most famous painting, The Nightmare. Henry Fuseli’s work greatly influenced the art of William Blake and he is now regarded as one of the key figures in the development of the Romantic movement in English art. [more]