Schumann completed the cycle of miniature dance pieces he called Papillons when he was 21 years old. Even during his studies in Heidelberg, he devoted himself intensively to the waltzes and polonaises of Schubert as well as the literary works of Jean Paul. Schumann's enthusiasm for both artists is clearly reflected in the Papillons. In a letter to Friedrich Wieck, his future father-in-law, he mentioned the connection between Schubert and Jean Paul. Schumann also recounted an encounter with Paul's widow, who had given him a portrait of the writer.
The Papillons demonstrated Schumann's reverence for the creations of Schubert and Jean Paul. In a letter to the poet and founder of the music journal "Iris im Gebiete der Tonkunst," Ludwig Rellstab, Schumann explained his inspiration for the Papillons and emphasized the connection to Jean Paul's novel "Flegeljahre" (Years of Indiscretion). In Schumann's personal copy of "Flegeljahre" (Young Unruly Years), there are marginal notes that link individual numbers of the Papillons to specific passages in the text. His compositions reflect the dancing characters and emotions from Jean Paul's literary work.
Schumann's composition Carnaval, musically depicted as a masked ball, was also inspired by Jean Paul's novels. As with the Papillons, musical codes and motifs permeate the entire work. The Fantasiestücke, Op. 12, which pay tribute to E.T.A. Hoffmann, are divided into two books, each with its own tonal center. Each composition of the Fantasiestücke possesses a unique atmosphere and expressiveness, shaped by Schumann's diverse literary influences.