James Ensor

A Belgian of British origin, James Ensor (1860-1949) is without doubt one of the most complex artists of the second half of the nineteenth century. Without masters or disciples, the completely independent artist broke free from the era''s artistic currents as he shifted cultural markers and tested the boundaries of visual arts. When he painted his first pieces, Impressionism reigned over Europe. In the same way as Van Gogh, Gauguin and Munch, James Ensor offers a radically novel vision without equivalent in the modern art of the late nineteenth century. Although James Ensor draws his inspiration from the Bible and historical writings, scholarly reference books and popular magazines, his own fantasies constantly feed his visual language. Unquestionably, carnival masks and skeletons have become his emblems. The concurrently enigmatic and prolific artist drew, engraved and painted still lives, portraits, landscapes, caricatures, as well as fantasy and religious scenes. A true anarchist at heart, he broached satirical, political, religious and historical themes with equal ease. Articulated like a biography, this book based on excerpts from unpublished letters offers an insight into the unusual life of an artist and his greatest masterpieces.