Figure Studies (recto and verso) c. 1800

Henry Fuseli made this study of figures with pen and brown ink on laid paper. Look closely, and you can see the artist felt his way into his subject. The lines are tentative, searching for the proper form, with several attempts visible in the finished work. Fuseli was especially interested in the body, in its muscularity and potential for dramatic expression. Here, the figures stretch and strain, their poses suggesting intense physical exertion. In this period, drawing was a key means of artistic training. Through it, an artist like Fuseli could learn to master the intricacies of anatomy, proportion, and perspective. But it was much more than a technical exercise. Drawing allowed the artist to explore his own creative vision, and to give form to the ideas that animated his imagination. Drawings like this one, therefore, are not mere preparatory sketches, but stand as finished works in their own right. They are objects of great beauty and insight, offering a glimpse into the mind of a truly remarkable artist.