| Fuseli: The Nightmare (circa 1782)
|
Although Fuseli labeled his painting quite unambiguously
as a portrayal of a nightmare it clearly contains significant elements
of Sleep paralysis or "Old Hag" experiences. As a consequence
it has virtually become an icon for the phenomenon. The victim is supine
and evidently helpless with a demonic incubus sitting on her chest. Although
the picture is dripping with sexual innuendo and portents of evil the monster
is neither initiating intercourse nor attempting to throttle his victim.
Rather he seems captured in a reflective mood as though deciding just what
fate to render. Or perhaps he has been caught be surprise by the artist.
The presence of the horse reflects the semantic confusion of the word "mare" from nightmare. The suffix "mare" is actually thought to be derived from "maren" - to crush. Thus the nightmare is the night crusher, which etymology suggests that the term nightmare might have been originally coined to describe not bad dreams, but sleep paralysis with hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations. |
Fuseli: The Nightmare (Frankfurt Version)
