Gothic Art

Fuseli - The Nightmare

Gothic art is considered to be the kind of art that engages with ideas and themes discussed in Gothic literature. It is not necessarily in line with Gothic Architecture; this is because of the limited media in which Gothic artist worked - namely stained glass windows, not painting. Illuminated manuscripts, (mentioned in a previous post) are of this time, although many critics argue that the Byzantine informed this work. Meanwhile painting was progressing in a different direction, towards the classical ideal of the early Renaissance.

Therefore 'Gothic Art' is established in line with the Gothic literature of the time - "to respond similarly to the emphasis on reason and order during the enlightenment, and to move into the exploration of psychological states."

A major artist of this time was John Henry Fuseli whose art of strange dreams and visions - depicts troubled minds. "It was he who made real and visisble to us the vague and insubstantial phantoms which haunt like dim dreams the oppressed imagination" (New Monthly Magazine 1931 Jasper 1992: 105)