Intriguing masks
This painting intrigues. A woman has ensnared a man. With one hand, she presents her “conquest.” In her other hand, she holds a small bouquet of flowers. Are they married? Possibly. Laughable, sinister faces circle the couple. A boorish woman carries a doll on her shoulder. Or is it a dead child? She points at the man — his fate is uncertain. A skull with a detached jaw watches the scene. Sharp, aggressive color contrasts and rough, nervous brushstrokes heighten the unsettling atmosphere.
Ensor: painter of masks
With The Intrigue, James Ensor painted one of the most striking masquerades in his oeuvre. Usually, masks hide the true face of their wearers. With Ensor, it’s the opposite. From 1880 onwards, the “peintre des masques” used these disguises to reveal the inner wickedness of his characters in bizarre, grotesque scenes. Some art historians interpret this work as Ensor’s personal vision of marriage: the bride has seized the groom, and the poor man has nowhere to escape.
Carnival masks from his mother’s souvenir shop
Masks are James Ensor’s trademark. From 1880 onwards, they regularly appear in his paintings and drawings, often the same ones and sometimes even in identical positions. They are almost always carnival masks that his mother sold in her souvenir shop. Several of these masks appear in old photographs of Ensor in his studio. It is possible that he staged models using these masks along with pieces of clothing.
Pietje de Dood
Some masks have been preserved. They are part of the collection at the Ensor House in Ostend and in private collections. The “living” skeleton also appears frequently, sometimes holding a scythe. Through these motifs, Ensor earned his local nickname: “Pietje de Dood” (Pietje the Death).
Hunted by imitators, I have withdrawn into the lonely land of mockery, where the mask reigns with violence, light, and brilliance. The mask tells me: fresh tones, a lavish setting, broad unexpected gestures, intense expression, delightful turbulence.
Ensor’s use of color
Masks offered James Ensor new expressive possibilities. Just look at the abrupt color transitions in The Intrigue. The aggressive contrasts of unmixed colors also stand out. Ensor allows light and color to merge. He learned this technique from the French Impressionists, who applied pure colors directly onto the white ground of the canvas, without the traditional underpainting and with as few shadows as possible.
Master of impressionism
Today, art experts struggle to find words to praise Ensor’s work. It wasn’t always like this. Ensor remained misunderstood for a long time and sold very little. It was only after his fortieth birthday that he gained recognition. Around 1900, German artists and critics began to take note of his artistic innovations. In Belgium, he was gradually acknowledged as one of the pioneers of modern art. The KMSKA holds the largest and most important collection of James Ensor’s works in the world.
