Midnight

between 1761 and 1765

Exile from Switzerland; studies in Berlin

Füssli helped Lavater expose an unjust magistrate whose powerful family then sought revenge, and the young pastor was forced to leave the country. He travelled through Germany and studied painting in Berlin before setting out for England in 1765.

1765

Arrives in England

In 1765 Füssli came to England, where for some time he supported himself by miscellaneous writing.

between 1765 and 1770

Reynolds advises him to become an artist

In England Füssli met Sir Joshua Reynolds and showed him his drawings. Following his advice, he resolved to devote himself entirely to art, and in 1770 he set off for Italy.

c. 1766

Takes up oil painting only at 25

Füssli did not paint in oil until the age of 25, which may explain his reckless method: he scattered colours across his palette at random and often mixed dry pigment on the end of his brush with oil, turpentine or gold size, relying on accident for the effect.

1767

An anonymous book on Rousseau

In 1767 Füssli anonymously published “Remarks on the Writings and Conduct of J. J. Rousseau”. Raised on Winckelmann's ideas, he also translated into English Winckelmann's essay “Reflections on the Imitation of Greek Works in Painting and Sculpture”.