James Ensor
1860–1949 · Belgian · 30 artworks
ExpressionismImpressionismSymbolismMasks and disguisesSkeletal figuresSatirical social commentaryVibrant color palettesThick impasto
artist bio
James Ensor was a Belgian painter and printmaker, an important figure in the development of Expressionism and modern art. He is known for his depictions of masked figures, skeletons, and macabre scenes, often infused with social and political satire.
what you'll learn
Studying Ensor's work allows students to explore the use of symbolism and satire in art, as well as the development of Expressionist techniques. Students can also learn about the social and political context of late 19th and early 20th-century Europe.
related: Edvard Munch, Emil Nolde, George Grosz
30 artworks
Old Woman with Masks (Theatre of Masks)
1889
difficulty
Self-Portrait with Flowered Hat
1883
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Christ's Entry Into Brussels in 1889
1888
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Cranes Fleuris
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Calvary
1886
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The Rower
1883
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Skeleton Looking at Chinoiseries
1885
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Old Lady with Blue Shawl (The Artist's Grandmother)
1881
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Peaches
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Skeletons Fighting Over a Pickled Herring
1891
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The Oyster Eater
1882
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Masks Mocking Death
1888
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Ensor at the Harmonium
1933
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The Skeleton Painter
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Skeletons Fighting over a Hanged Man
1891
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The Drunkards
1883
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Landscape
1883
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Brussels Town Hall
1885
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Pierrot Lunaire
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The Bathing Hut. Afternoon, July 29, 1876
1876
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Russian Music
1881
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The Baths at Ostend
1890
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Mascaras singulares
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Adam and Eve Expelled from Paradise
1887
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Still life with chinoiseries
1907
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The Dangerous Cooks
1896
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Skeletons Trying to Warm Themselves
1889
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Self-Portrait with Masks
1899
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Chinese Porcelain with Fans
1880
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Death and the Masks
1897
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