Nightmares and Surrealism

Because Hansel and Gretel has the structure of a nightmare, I want to look at Romantic, gothic art as well as surrealism for inspiration in my designs for the play.

The following images have been taken from the book 'Gothic Nightmares'

 Henry Fuseli 'Drawing of a figure seated before gigantic antique fragments' - Gothic Nightmares.

The proportions of this drawing interest me in particular I think it would be interestng to create everything very out of proportion much like a surreal dream.

 Henry Fuseli - 'The Changeling' - Gothic Nightmares

This piece is based around the tale of a baby swapped with a monster. The theme of kidnapping is very relevant to Hansel and Gretel so the fear and sense of unease evoked by this piece is a very important emotion I will have to interpret into my design for the play.

 Henry Fuseli 'The Thieves Punishment' - Gothic Nightmares

I found the pile of bodies in this piece reminiscent of the piles of shoes in the Auschwitz exhibition at the Imperial War Museum.

 James Gillray 'un petit souper a la Parisienne' - Gothic Nightmares

I find this piece particularly interesting because it is quite how I imagine the Witch's kitchen to be in the play at least in the way the chairs are made from bodies and there are loose bodyparts however I would like my design to hint at this rather than be just so obvious.