New expo “James Ensor. Inspired by Brussels” starts on 22 February as a result of collaboration between the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR) and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The exhibition explores how Brussels helped to shape Ensor’s quirky and characteristic visual language.
The link between Ensor and Ostend is quite well known but what about Brussels? Did you know that our capital played a crucial role in how Ensor developed as an artist too? From 22 February until 2 June 2024, the public will have a chance to dive into the imaginary world of James Ensor, one of the greatest Belgian artists. It will be a chance to discover paintings and graphical work in a place where Ensor was often to be found during his Brussels years: the Palace of Charles of Lorraine.
It is worth noting that KBR and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (RMFAB) were the first public institutions to purchase work by James Ensor – as early as 1892, KBR’s Prints Department purchased 25 of the Ostend master’s etchings. Three years later, in 1895, the RMFAB acquired an early masterpiece by the artist: “The Lamplighter” (1880). With 18 paintings, 24 drawings and 33 prints, “James Ensor. Inspired by Brussels” now brings together an exceptionally large number of original works by the master in a unique historical setting.
James Ensor was much more than a mask-painter. His oeuvre is, technically and thematically, exceptionally diverse. The paintings, drawings and prints show a wide range of styles and topics: realism and symbolism, portraits and still-lifes, masks and monsters.
Quote source: kbr website
The exhibition also features carefully selected period documents, such as posters from the salons and correspondence by Ensor and his correspondents. Visitors will be introduced to paintings such as Ensor’s first mask scene “The Annoyed Masks” and “Russian Music”, an atmospheric salon piece that earned Ensor an argument with former classmate Khnopff.
As mentioned, the show takes place in the magnificent rooms of the Palace of Charles of Lorraine. In Ensor’s time, this was where the Museum of Modern Art was based, a place where he exhibited high-profile artworks from 1887, along with such art circles as “Les XX” and “La Libre Esthétique”.
Some of the works featured in the expo have never been exhibited before and there will be also several less well-known aspects of his work, including a rare opportunity to discover 20 drawings. One of the highlights also include a socially motivated drawing “Belgium in the 19th century” – a sharp critique of the political situation under King Leopold II. Ensor also gained fame for the brilliant prints that were printed in Brussels.
Discover more details about this expo on the KBR website.
