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The Dream of Eve
Henry Fuseli, born 1741 - died 1825 - Enlarge image
The Dream of Eve
- Object:
Print
- Place of origin:
London, England (made)
- Date:
1804 (dated)
- Artist/Maker:
Henry Fuseli, born 1741 - died 1825 (after, artist)
Haughton, Moses, born 1767 (etcher)
Frederick Lewis, born 1779 - died 1856 (aquatinter) - Materials and Techniques:
Stipple etching, etching and aquatint, ink on paper
- Museum number:
15573A
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 120, case 5
Object Type
This print was made using a combination of three techniques - etching, stipple etching and aquatint, which use the action of acid to create the lines, dots and shading on the metal printing plate.
Trading
This is a print after a painting by Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), which illustrates John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost. Fuseli was a particular admirer of Milton and painted some 60 pictures illustrating episodes from his works. In 1799 and 1800 Fuseli held two exhibitions in which he exhibited 47 of his paintings of Milton's works. He then planned to publish a series of 50 prints after his paintings. This 'Milton Gallery' was a project similar to John Boydell's 'Shakespeare Gallery', in which the exhibition of paintings would publicise the prints that were later sold. In the end, only 14 prints were published, between 1803 and 1814.
Subject Depicted
This print illustrates an episode from Book V of Paradise Lost. It illustrates the moment when Eve recounts to Adam her dream of being carried aloft to the heavens by a winged figure:
... Forthwith up to the clouds
With him I flew and underneath beheld
The earth outstretch'd immense ...
... suddenly
My guide was gone, and I methought sunk down
This print shows Eve sinking back down to earth, as the winged figure leaves her.
