James Ensor
James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) was a Flemish-Belgian painter and printmaker, an important influence on expressionism and surrealism who lived in Ostend for almost his entire life. He was associated with the artistic group Les XX.
| James Ensor | |
|---|---|
| |
| Portrait of James Ensor by Henry De Groux, 1907 | |
| Born | 13 April 1860 Ostend, Belgium |
| Died | 19 November 1949 (aged 89) Ostend, Belgium |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Field | Painting |
| Training | Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, Brussels (Belgium) |
| Movement | expressionism, surrealism |
| Influenced by | Hieronymus Bosch |
From 1877 to 1880, he attended the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. His only travels were three brief trips to Paris, London, and Holland.[1]
In 1895 his painting The Lamp Boy (1880) was acquired by the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels. He had his first solo exhibition in Brussels.[2] By 1920 he was the subject of major exhibitions. In 1929 he was named a Baron by King Albert. He was the subject of the Belgian composer Flor Alpaerts's "James Ensor Suite". In 1933 he was awarded the band of the Légion d'honneur.
Against the advice of friends, he remained in Ostend during World War II despite the risk of bombardment. In his old age he was an honored figure among Belgians. His daily walk made him a familiar sight in Ostend. He died there after a short illness, on 19 November 1949.
References
Other websites
Media related to James Ensor at Wikimedia Commons