Artwork

Die Donaunixen prophezeien Hagen den unglücklichen Ausgang von Gunthers Zug

Die Donaunixen prophezeien Hagen den unglücklichen Ausgang von Gunthers Zug is an oil painting by the British Romanticist artist Henry Fuseli. It dates from 1807 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1807, this oil on canvas by Henry Fuseli is part of the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich. The work presents a nocturnal, theatrical tableau in which a nude female rider, wrapped only in a red sash and wearing a helmet, charges forward on a dark brown horse while a torch blazes in her hand.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure appears to be a mythic or prophetic heroine, her illuminated torch suggesting revelation or warning. Behind her, three ethereal women in white garments hover, one reaching toward the rider, evoking the presence of supernatural agents—perhaps river nymphs—who foretell a tragic outcome for the warrior Hagen.

Technique & Style

Fuseli employs a stark chiaroscuro, contrasting the deep shadows of the background with the vivid reds of the sash, saddle blanket, and torch. The brushwork is vigorous, especially in the horse’s musculature and the swirling drapery of the floating figures, reinforcing the painting’s sense of motion and emotional intensity.

History & Provenance

The canvas entered the Kunsthaus Zürich’s holdings in the early twentieth century, though its earlier ownership record is limited. Its attribution to Fuseli has been consistently affirmed by stylistic analysis and museum documentation, confirming its place among his later productions.

Context

Fuseli, a Swiss-born painter active in Britain, was known for dramatizing literary and mythological subjects with a Romantic sensibility. This work reflects his fascination with the supernatural and the tragic hero, themes that recur in his depictions of Shakespearean and Germanic legends.