Sleepless Collection

Burning the candle at both ends C014 / 1258
Burning the candle at both ends. Conceptual image of a candle that is lit at both ends, representing overwork and exhaustion

"I Have Hardly Closed My Eyes The Whole Night! Heaven Knows What Was In The Bed
" I Have Hardly Closed My Eyes The Whole Night! Heaven Knows What Was In The Bed. I Seemed To Be Lying Upon Some Hard Thing, And My Whole Body Is Black And Blue This Morning

Sleepless
TJ Millar

Never Sleep City
Ken Liang

Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany worried that Death will add his life to those sacrificed in the First World War
6000386 Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany worried that Death will add his life to those sacrificed in the First World War (colour litho) by Damblans

He no longer sleeps! (colour litho)
2785914 He no longer sleeps! (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: He no longer sleeps)

Une Nuit Dans Un Workhouse De Londres (engraving)
2783180 Une Nuit Dans Un Workhouse De Londres (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Une Nuit Dans Un Workhouse De Londres)

A Cure for Insomnia, a Page from a Subalterns Life in India (engraving)
1040737 A Cure for Insomnia, a Page from a Subalterns Life in India (engraving) by Boyd, Alexander Stuart (1854-1930); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Cure for Insomnia)

Fol. 101r The Insomniac, illustration from Tacuinum Santiatis Codex Vindobonensis (vellum)
ALI142975 Fol.101r The Insomniac, illustration from Tacuinum Santiatis Codex Vindobonensis (vellum) by Italian School, (14th century); Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna, Austria; Alinari

the blue bed
Bettina Tautzenberger

Bonzo tries to make both ends meet
A sleep-deprived Bonzo tried to pacify twin babies (or rather, miniature Bonzos) with a double-ended bottle of milk. One appears to be settled but the other is inconsolable

Ester Ahasuerus History series title Historia Asuerij
Ester for Ahasuerus History of Ester (series title) Historia Asuerij (...) (series title) Thesaurus sacrarum historiaru [m] veteris testame [n] ti

He does not sleep anymore !, front cover illustration from Le Petit Journal
XIR486927 He does not sleep anymore !, front cover illustration from Le Petit Journal, supplement illustre, 25th October 1914 (colour litho) by French School

Who litigates has sleepless nights, print maker: Hendrick Goltzius, Maarten Spiegel, 1597

Lost tooth causes sleeping difficulties for Kitty
Kitty - " Aunty, I can t sleep at night since I lost my front toof for the draught blowing down my throat." Date: circa 1890s

In-flight sleep, conceptual artwork
In-flight sleep. Conceptual artwork of an open-eyed man attempting to sleep in an aeroplane, represented as a bed, with the crescent Moon depicted as a clock-face

Sleepless Night
A young woman holding her hand to her forehead during a sleepless night. Date: 1960s

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"Sleepless: A Journey Through Restless Nights" Burning the candle at both ends, I find myself trapped in a sleepless haze. The words of Hans Andersen's Real Princess resonate within me as I toss and turn on a bed that feels like an unforgiving rock. My body is covered in bruises, evidence of my nocturnal battle with elusive slumber. In this never-sleep city, even Kaiser Wilhelm II shares my worries. He fears that Death himself will claim his life amidst the sacrifices of war. As I gaze upon Marguerite Steinheil's haunting prison illustration, I wonder if her sleeplessness matches mine or if it stems from a different kind of torment. But it is not just individuals who suffer from insomnia; entire communities are affected by its relentless grip. In an engraving depicting "Une Nuit Dans Un Workhouse De Londres, " we witness the collective restlessness that pervades these walls. Seeking solace, I stumble upon "A Cure for Insomnia, " a page from a subaltern's life in India. Yet even here, sleep remains elusive as depicted in the intricate engravings capturing restless nights under foreign skies. Turning to ancient manuscripts, Folio 101r reveals "The Insomniac. " This vellum illustration portrays the struggle against sleeplessness throughout history—a timeless affliction shared across generations. Amidst this sea of unrest lies one constant—the blue bed. Its allure promises comfort and tranquility but fails to deliver on its whispered assurances night after night. And yet, there is hope amidst this sleepless journey—Bonzo tries to make both ends meet. In his playful attempts to reconcile exhaustion with daily demands, he reminds us that laughter can be found even when slumber eludes us. As dawn breaks and another night slips away into oblivion, I realize that my battle with insomnia continues unabated. But through art and stories, I find solace in knowing that I am not alone.