Henry Fuseli (1741–1825) was a Swiss-born painter, draughtsman, and writer who spent much of his career in England. He is best known for his dramatic, imaginative depictions of supernatural subjects often infused with Romantic horror. One of his most famous works, The Nightmare (1781), exemplifies his fascination with the eerie and the unknown.

Fuseli was heavily influenced by classical literature, mythology, and fantasy and his work is closely associated with the Romantic movement. His emphasis on imagination and emotional intensity laid the groundwork for later Symbolist artists, many of whom were inspired by Fuseli's focus on the psychological and fantastical.