Encounters at the Morgan (Part II) — Fantasy and Reality: The Art of Johan Tobias Sergel

Self-Portrait, ca. 1772, terracotta, Johan Tobias Sergel (1740-1814)

Another unexpected pleasure of exploring the Morgan Library & Museum this past weekend was discovering the work of Swedish sculptor and draftsman Johan Tobias Sergel in Fantasy and Reality: The Art of Johan Tobias Sergel.

Henry Fuseli Conjures Fierce Witches and
Demons in Rome, ca. 1775-76, pen and
brown ink and brown and gray wash,
over black chalk, Johan Tobias Sergel

Little known outside his native Sweden, Sergel was an accomplished artist whose years in Rome deepened his appreciation of classical antiquity and profoundly influenced his sculpture. His travels also took him to Southern Italy, including Naples, Portici, and Pompeii, where the rediscovered treasures of the ancient world offered further inspiration.

Among the works that caught my attention were his Faun and studies for Diomedes, both reflecting his fascination with classical mythology and the human form. I was particularly struck by the contrast between the refinement of his sculpture and the spontaneity of his drawings. His sketches, caricatures, and self-portraits reveal a lively imagination, a sharp sense of humor, and a more intimate side of the artist.

The exhibition also featured works by artists in Sergel’s circle, including Henry Fuseli, whose dramatic, often unsettling art I have long admired. Their inclusion offered a glimpse into the creative exchanges that flourished among artists of the period.

It was a delightful introduction to a gifted artist who deserves greater recognition.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, November 10th, Feasts of Sant’Andrea Avellino, San Respicio, and Santa Ninfa

Achilles on the Shore, ca. 1774-75, terracotta, Johan Tobias Sergel

(L) Santa Susanna, ca. 1768-69, terracotta, Johan Tobias Sergel.
(R) Diomedes, ca. 1770, terracotta, Johan Tobias Sergel 

(L) Tobias and the Fish, ca. 1768-69, terracotta, Johan Tobias Sergel.
(R) River God, ca. 1773, terracotta, Johan Tobias Sergel

The Faun, 1794, marble, Johan Tobias Sergel

The Faun, ca. 1769-70, terracotta, Johan Tobias Sergel

The Faun, ca. 1778-96(?), bronze, Johan Tobias Sergel

Sophie Hagman, Ballet Dancer, 1793, plaster, Johan Tobias Sergel

(L) Viscountess Bulkeley as Hebe, 1775, pen and brown ink and brown wash over graphite, with white opaque watercolor, George Romney (1734-1802).
(R) Lady Macbeth, ca. 1774-75, pen and brown ink and brown wash, over black chalk, Henry Fuseli (1741-1825)

Centaur and Nymph, ca. 1771-72, pen and brown ink
and gray wash, over graphite, Johan Tobias Sergel

(L) Acrobats, 1779, pen and brown ink and brown wash, "Master of the Giants," probably Prince Hoare (1755-1834). (R) Study for the Head of Diomedes, ca. 1770, red chalk, Johan Tobias Sergel

Gustav III and His Entourage Climbing Vesuvius, 21 February 1784, 1784, pen and brown ink and brown wash, Johan Tobias Sergel

Death of Gaius Gracchus, 1776, pen and brown ink
and brown wash, Henry Fuseli

A Torturous Dream: Sheet 3 of the Melancholy Suite (Second Version), 1795, pen and black ink and gray wash, Johan Tobias Sergel 

Sergel on the Globe: The Artist's Vigil, While Everyone Sleeps, 1797, pen and black ink and gray wash, Nicolai Abildgaard (1742-1809)