Heinrich Füssli

In 1926 the Kunsthaus devoted an exhibition to the painter, sketcher, graphic artist, and writer Johann Heinrich Füssli (b. 1741 Zürich, d. 1825 Putney Hill near London). Füssli was born in Zurich where he later studied theology and worked for some years as a parish priest and translator until he emigrated to London in 1764. There he achieved fame under the name “Henry Fuseli” (or in related spellings). He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1788 and was a Professor of Painting for the last fifteen years of his life. Only once, for a journey to Paris, did Füssli leave England, his chosen home. Today there are more than one hundred of his works in the collection of the Kunsthaus; in 1926 there were only six. But at least in the Zurich town halls was his monumental painting "Die drei Eidgenossen beim Schwur auf dem Rütli" (1780, English name: The Oath on the Rütli). The apostate (who was disgraced at various times in his birthplace due to his lack of interest) was to have been celebrated in the centenary of his death, but this was prevented by reconstruction work. In the following year, the Kunsthaus was visibly proud to install his first solo exhibition. Of the works by the distinctly productive Füssli, who mainly devoted himself to literary, mythological and historic themes seventy paintings from forty-five years were displayed, as well as drawings and copper etchings. While the paintings found room in two picture halls, the roughly 300 works on paper from almost seventy creative years took up no less than six rooms. The Director of the Kunsthaus, Wilhelm Wartmann, even assessed the works on paper higher than the paintings: “The larger wealth of the entire exhibition lies with them.” The exhibition was very well received. The “exuberance” in the forms and an “effervescent imagination” were judged positively by Emil Hess in the Zürcher Illustrierte: His pictures are unusually rich and easily read narratives.” The Zürcher Post described Füssli’s work as “surprising and gripping” and hoped that the exhibition would bring the artist “to new and high honors.” A catalog appeared for the exhibition with an essay by Wilhelm Wartmann and a list of works.