James Ensor

James Ensor Synopsis

James Ensor (1860-1949) produced one of the most unusual bodies of work at the turn of the twentieth century. The painter Luc Tuymans is captivated by his fellow Belgian, and in this volume of essays he explores Ensor's life and legacy, while Tuymans's comments on his selection provide a distinctive picture of the earlier artist. Ensor was born in Ostend and barely left his home town during his lifetime; his family, however, ran a curio shop filled with an array of exotic objects including parrots, a monkey and masks from around the world, which perhaps in part influenced the imagery of his mature work. Marked by psychological complexity, contradictions and sheer eccentricity, Ensor's works - featuring such bizarre subject-matter as dressed-up skeletons and macabre carnival masks - have continued to baffle and intrigue in equal measure.