Johann Heinrich Fussli’s oil painting, The Night-Hag Visiting Lapland Witches, depicts a woman in the throes of a demonic nightmare rather than the supernatural events occurring around her. Completed in 1796, the painting measures 40 x 49 ¾ inches and is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in New York.
The artwork explores themes of horror, dark magic, and sexuality, and has been reproduced as an engraving. It was also displayed as a copy in Sigmund Freud’s apartment in Vienna in the 1920s. Fussli made around 800 sketches and designs, which showcase his inventive and artistic qualities.
Though unsettling, The Night-Hag Visiting Lapland Witches is an influential piece of art due to its unique interpretation of a nightmare. It showcases Fussli’s talent in creating lasting and unnerving images, with such an impact that it remains sought out and viewed by art enthusiasts around the world.
