James Ensor

Collection C. Snauwaert, Brussels
Collection Desvenaian-Snauwaert, Brussels
Collection W. Willems, Brussels
Acquired from the above & sold: Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 6th December, 2006, lot 46

Paul Haesaerts, James Ensor, New York, 1959, no. 183, illustrated p. 324
Xavier Tricot, James Ensor: Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, Ostfildern, 2009, no. 484, illustrated p. 351

The canvas is not lined. UV examination reveals three small areas of retouching, relating to small repaired tears, and a couple of further scattered spots of retouching. The canvas would benefit from being restretched. Otherwise, this work is in overall good condition.
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Except for three years spent at the Brussels Academy, from 1877 to 1880, Ensor lived in Ostend all his life. His early works were of traditional subjects: landscapes, still-lifes, portraits, interiors, painted in deep, rich and strong colours. In the mid-1880s, influenced by the bright colours of the Impressionists and the grotesque imagery of earlier Flemish masters such as Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Ensor turned toward avant-garde themes and styles.

The subject of bathers was a frequent one for the artist, reminding the viewer of the popularity of bathing in the sea in his home town of Ostend during the summer months.

The subtitle of the present lot, Baigneuses, lingues courbes et ondulée, (lines curved and waved) may be interpreted in several ways. It refers both to the flamboyant style of the Art Nouveau, but also to the artist's preoccupation with the use of different types of lines.