16 Works, February 7th. is artist Henry Fuseli’s day, his story, illustrated with footnotes #038

The painting depicts the pivotal moment in Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth (act 1, scene 3) when the protagonist encounters a demonic trio of witches who foretell his fate. Fuseli revels in the play’s ominous mood, tripling the motif of hooded head, extended hand, and sealed lips of the mannish figures, whose appearance is taken directly from Shakespeare’s description: “… you should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret / That you are so.” More on this painting

Henry Fuseli RA (7 February 1741–17 April 1825) was a Swiss painter, draughtsman and writer on art who spent much of his life in Britain. Many of his works, such as The Nightmare (see below), deal with supernatural subject-matter. He painted works for John Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery, and created his own “Milton Gallery”. (see below) He held the posts of Professor of Painting and Keeper at the Royal Academy. His style had a considerable influence on many younger British artists, including William Blake…

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