James Ensor

James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor (April 13, 1860-November 19, 1949) was a Belgian painter and printmaker and an important influence on expressionism and surrealism. He lived in Ostend for most of his life and was associated with the artistic group Les XX. From 1877 to 1880, Ensor attended the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. The artist exhibited his first work in 1881. During the late 19th century, much of Ensor's work was rejected as scandalous, particularly his painting "Christ's Entry into Brussels in 1889" (1888-1889). However, Ensor's paintings continued to be exhibited and he gradually won acceptance and acclaim. By 1920, he was the subject of major exhibitions; in 1929 he was named a Baron by King Albert, and in 1933 he was awarded the band of the Legion d'honneur. Subjects such as carnivals, masks, puppetry, skeletons, and fantastic allegories are dominant in Ensor's mature work. The four years between 1888 and 1892 mark a turning point in Ensor's work. He turned to religious subjects, often the torments of Christ. The artist interpreted religious themes as a personal disgust for the inhumanity of the world. In his later work, his style softened. Ensor was also a prolific and accomplished printmaker, creating 133 etchings and drypoints over the course of his career. Ensor recognized that prints were a key part of his artistic legacy: "Yes, my intention is to go on working for a long time yet so that generations to come may hear me. My intention is to survive, and I think of the solid copper plate, the unalterable ink, easy reproduction, faithful prints, and I adopt etching as a means of expression." Ensor died in Ostend following a short illness at the age of 89.