The Nightmare (by Henry Fuseli) Poker Cards

This design features a painting by the Swiss artist Henry Fuseli (1741–1825), who spent much of his life in Britain. It depicts a woman lying on a bed in deep sleep with her arms thrown behind her head. There is a demonic creature crouched on her chest: he is an incubus from European folklore. There is also a donkey poking its head through a red curtain in the background, and the donkey is looking intently at the demon. The painting has a dreamlike and haunting evocation of sensuality and obsession. Some critics have suggested that the painting portrays a dreaming woman and the content of her nightmare. The original artwork was painted by Henry Fuseli in 1781.