Fuseli and the Modern Woman: Fashion, Fantasy, Fetishism

Intriguing exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery looking at drawings of women by Henry Fuseli.

As ever at the Courtauld this was a scholarly presented show while still being clear and approachable. I was fascinated to see that he had been Keeper of the Premises when the Royal Academy was at Somerset House so had lived in the building he was now being shown in for about 30 years. 

The first room looked at drawings of women with elaborate hairstyles, mainly his wife Sophie. These took on a fetishist quality and it seems his wife was as creative about arranging her hair as he was at drawing it. I think my favourite though was an amazing plainer portrait of her shown here which, I think, is one of the best portrait drawings I’ve ever seen.

The second room looked at his drawings of Courtesan’s, again mainly with elaborate hair. Some of the finished works may have been done for sale to their clientele. I loved one drawn at the salon of a friend on an envelope of the, probably images, figures. The commentary speculated it had been done to show off to friends.

The whole show gave you an intense look at an often obscure sides of an artist’s life both his erotic imaginings but also his personal life and affections.

Closed 8 January 2023


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