Sketch for 'Dido on the Funeral Pyre' (recto); Erotic Sketch of Man and Woman (verso) c. 1781

Here we have Henry Fuseli's sketch for 'Dido on the Funeral Pyre', created sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Fuseli, deeply inspired by the classics and the burgeoning Romantic movement, presents us with a scene of intense emotion and drama drawn from Virgil's Aeneid. This piece resonates with the era's fascination with sublime themes, especially those exploring the depths of human emotion. Dido, the Queen of Carthage, is depicted here in her final act, a powerful woman driven to self-destruction by love and betrayal. Note how Fuseli uses shadow and light to enhance the drama, focusing on Dido's emotional turmoil rather than a straightforward retelling of the myth. The raw emotion captured in this sketch, along with its exploration of female agency and despair, speaks volumes about the evolving roles and representations of women in art and society at the time. Fuseli invites us to contemplate the complex interplay of love, power, and fate.