James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor, born April 13, 1860 in Ostend and died November 19, 1949 in the same city, was a Belgian painter and engraver, considered one of the precursors of Fantastic Expressionism and modern Symbolism. Born of an English father and a Flemish mother, he grew up in Ostend, where his mother's colorful decorations and carnival masks strongly influenced his imagination.
At the age of thirteen, he began drawing lessons with local watercolorists, then in 1877 joined the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts, where he met Fernand Khnopff and Willy Finch. He rebelled against academicism and returned to Ostend to work in the attic of the family home. From 1881, he exhibited in Brussels but suffered several rejections, notably for his paintingThe Oyster Eater.
Founding member of the artistic circleThe XXIn 1883, he began painting his famous masks and skeletons. Faced with the group's rejection of certain works, he gradually distanced himself from academicism and developed a colorful, satirical and fantastical style. His compositions such asDemons bothering meand his macabre self-portraits bear witness to his critical and ironic vision of the world.
In Ostend, he organized the famous Dead Rat Ball in 1898, where he often depicted himself surrounded by hostile figures. Despite his talents, public recognition was slow in coming. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that he achieved international fame, receiving the title of baron and the Legion of Honor, but then chose to gradually withdraw from painting to devote himself to contemporary music until his death.
