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James Ensor was born in April, 13 1860 in Belgium. The day was named the day of Venus because James Ensor said that on the day of his birthday Venus came towards him and they looked at each other face to face smiling, this was James Ensor description of his birth. James Ensor father Frederick Ensor was an English man who was an engineer and his mother was a Belgian. Ensor didn’t have interest in academic studies and he left school at an early age of 15 to pursue art. He started training to be a painter with other two colleagues. Perhaps mentioning also is the fact that what skewed his perception in the early years was the passing on of his dad and later passing away of his grandmother; they were family members Ensor was so close to. The passing on of dad and grandmother left him the breadwinner together with the mother in an extended family that included, aunt, divorced sister and niece.

Ensor started off as an ordinary artist. He started out fresh from academy without much experience in the field. Upon beginning his journey he soon realized that he was different from every other individual and that he was an extraordinary naturalist and bold painter that dwell mostly on modern and familiar subject. His technique shocked some of his conservative fans. His work was early seen as average but later viewed as the most outstanding paintings of the 20th century.

In all his adult life he lived with his parents and he never married. He never married and didn’t leave his parents either but he just dedicates his whole life to art. His studio remained in his childhood place for his entire life. Brussels was his art center but Ostend remained his favorite town where he lived.

Ensor is one of the greatest legends of Belgian having exhibited excellent work both in painting and print making; he is a great advocate of symbolism in Belgium. He was a predecessor in art of expressing emotions through paintings and a movement that uses literature to communicate in the modern world. He spends most of his early live in his local town of Ostend a coastal town. He trained to become a professional painter in Brussels academy. The theme of his early paintings was mainly in landscapes of major towns, interiors in warm, muted tones and naturalism. His father died when Ensor was only 17, he was an alcoholic and that could have been the major cause of his death. Ensor returned to the Ostend the town he grew up upon his completion of the training, he set up a small studio above his parents shop. The rest of his lifetime he spent in Ostend. In 1881 he got a platform for his first His exhibition an event that was held in Brussels. In the same year he participated in two events the Brussels Salon, and two others in Paris but he faced earlier challenges in his journey when they were rejected from the Antwerp chapter as his subject matter was regarded too bold and inappropriate at the for that time.

He also described the duality of his art whereby he noted that in one hand he had hi imaginations inclined towards humanity and on the other hand he had vivid imaginations of his childhood in Belgium, memories of pleasures and terrors that he saw at the days of his childhood. Amongst the childhood terrors he imagined was dull Belgian town threatened by the surrounding sea that was it source of livelihood. Before Ensor enrolled in Belgian academy to study painting, he had earlier painted Ostend surrounding landscape amongst the key features in this painting was small isolated houses in the extended flood-lighted section. He was motivated by and influenced by French and Belgian painters and it was the main reason why he opts for fantastical subjects matter and to advance in this area of interest to him he used free, divided brushstroke. Amongst his other influences were: JMW Turner color effects; Hieronymus Bosch horror images and lastly Honore Daumier skull visual images and symbols. His childhood surrounding also influenced and motivated him because Ostend town was known for carnival festivals every year. In their family shop also were carnival masks that were being sold. In her early paintings this masked appeared in his drawings and it was not long before it became his trademark. This carnival mask painting earned him a title ‘painter of masks’. Most of the things he drew had a mask face or had a carnival background. However he had extensive drawings that varied in various degrees and it is difficult to attach him to one theme or movement. What could somehow distinct his work is its satirical aspect and bright paints. On e of his most popular work was ‘Christ entry into Brussels’, he pained extensively on the life and temptation of Jesus Christ. He painted the interiors of their family house using thick paints and also painted figures drinking tea or listening to music with wonderful surrounding.

Ensor grew in status in Belgium and beyond and in 1883 established Belgian avant-garde artists' group Les XX, this foundation help bring into Brussels the modern paintings by French artist which greatly help in fight to liberate artistic work from the control by the officials who dictated according to their preferences and tastes. Ensor did little paintings which were outstanding and have been outstanding to date and despite the fact that he didn’t do a lot of paintings this few outstanding ones preserve his fantastic image. The carnival masks work was exceptionally great especially with the terror and terror that was created by the surrounding scandalized masks joined together with possessed furniture by skeletons.

Ensor work on the etching cathedral provided him with a platform to paint images of destructive, mocking and wandering masses; this type of mob was clearly depicted in his painting on the entry of Christ into Brussels escorted by this harsher and mocking crowd. Christ- Ensor was being escorted by the mob into the city with socialist banners all over. His work was rejected due to its controversy and mysteries the paintings depict. The controversy even lead to les XX declination to depict it, the controversy was mainly caused by the paintings depiction of Belgian political and social values. This work was rejected in the few years that followed. When he was starting he didn’t had enough space and resources but within a very short time he had invented a way to make large scale paintings and drawings by pasting together pieces of papers. He brought lots of masks up from the shop, along with old clothes, and improvised models from them.

Many denied his work, both academicians and artists due to his unique use of Christian imagery instead of sticking to his nonconformist style of painting which didn’t brought out personalized imagery. After identifying himself with Christ Ensor painted accepted biblical imagery to depict the forces of evil and good that he observes in the universe, the more rejection towards his work was likened to the passion of Christ.

The only way Ensor could get in touch with the world was through his art, despite his paintings being full of horror, being sadistic and erotic with great sense of satire. His private and little drawings highlighted the great sense on unhealthy demonizing of humanity and himself included to the hell. It was not pleasing to many and this perhaps could have been what drew more attention to his work. In 1900 Ensor controversial paintings were seen with lesser light and it become accepted more domestically, it was no longer viewed as condemning society but just but a mockery or imitation, this is what led to Ensor being accepted more in the art circle unlike earlier when he was rejected by even fellow artists. He later added the work of essay writers to his work as a painter.

Ensor like strange subject matters for example his work on the Russian music and the drunkards. He portrays reality in a rather dull scene but with great art of painting he was able to brighten it using palette. The horror in his work was inspired by carnival masks that were being sold at his mother’s shop and that was seen in his work on the scandalized mask and the skeletons fighting over a masked man. His work was great and exceptional because it had horror, satire and comic a times. Carnivals and masks dominated large portion of his work and even with his mature work the theme never changed and this made him consistent unlike many other artists who change with time. His studio had great sense of horror due to skeletons dressed in a colorful way and covered with carnival masks. To be effective I the art of painting Ensor modeled a format that will help him enhance his paintings with bright colors and plastic masks.

The turning point in Ensor art of painting came when he turned to religious topics. He dwelt on the topic for a period of 4 years. His religious theme dwelt largely on the suffering passion of Christ. Though it was turning point some rejected him because of the theme and they required him to remain unorthodox. He linked in a great way religion with inhumanity being witnessed in contemporary world. Christ’s entry into Brussels was his outstanding work and he produced it with 45 etchings. This work referred to as entry of Christ into Brussels was seen as the 20th century greatest painting. In this work there were great mob in masks that escorted Christ into Brussels, these mob were rowdy and chaotic. What could have stirred the controversy in this work was visibility of Belgium politicians and historians within the crowd. Ensor’s family members were also present. Christ could also be seen in a donkey, all this he did despite being an atheist. He was mocked and identified himself Christ as the same victim of mockery. His identification and painting of Christ was not due to his believes but the mockery he received which he likened to the passion of Christ. Because of this theme of Christ this work was not displayed by les XX until 1929. This painting was later exported to United States and is being kept at J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. At the point his work was rejected by les XX Ensor kept faith in his work and it became evident that at that point in time there were not yet freedoms for the painters in Belgium because the politician appeared to be dictating the content of the art work. The art was under threat at that time and it was for this reason that influx of French artist later led to fight for this freedom. Ensor through his work was able to connect the political world together with religion in a single painting.

It was until the end of 19th century that recognition of Ensor begun. He was not recognized at first because he brushed shoulders with political class. Upon this recognition he started to paint less with a lesser radical themes. The period after that was seen by many critics as his period of decline in the field. His early theme that had satire and horror started to decline and it became less evident in his new work and writings. The new work was also typical of its earlier work.

His latest work included ‘the artist mother in death’, this work painted his mother in the death bed with bottles surrounding her. The painting showed the mother body lying with mouth open and hands folded. The body showed signs of illness and rot. The bottles beside the lying body are for medicine. In the background also is the portrait of a saint. Medicine bottle and portrait of a saint showed she used medicine and religion to fight against death that came knocking at her door. Her mother was a typical family woman and a great business woman who ran the family business in her name. The family had a shop in Ostend where they sell Jewellery from Algiers, corals from Naples and perfumed flowers. The family also had great trading links with different Asian countries among them were; Hong Kong, Singapore and Nassau. Her mother tried her best to meet the ends meet. During winter the family dozed off at the Ostend town due to work. Ensor at one point in time explained that it is her mother who provided him with financial needs throughout his life journey before making to the top and specifically in his hardest times. Her mother died in 1915 upon reaching 80 years. Ensor at time of his mother dead was 55 years old. After the death of her mother Ensor began drawing her immediately thereafter spending hours till the middle of the night for several days that followed. He drew and painted her. The other late years work was The Vile Vivisectors (1925), a vehement attack on those responsible for the use of animals in medical experimentation.

Ensor also loved and hated his competitors in equal measure. He was entangled in a love hate relationship with the artist of his day. His heroes were Manet and Courbet, and his love for depiction of natural light drew him to the work of French artist Monet who also became his favorite. He didn’t like Paul Signac and Georges Seurat because the two seem to adopt a more controlled and formulaic style in painting. He didn’t like the formula because most of his earlier work together with the later seems to sideline the formula by being radical and chaotic in many aspects. Ensor parted ways bitterly with some of his friends and partners in the art of painting after several of them converted to join the oppressive forces of that time. Ensor had a very firm stand and was determined to stay to his course. His early paintings capture the neo-impressionism of that time and were the reason for his suppression.

Ensor was also proud of his native country and lives his entire live in Belgium. He was an international artist and liked different cultures but the two never made him leave the confines of Ostend. Of his interest were the landscape and the coastal atmosphere of Ostend. He also loved local foodstuffs especially oysters and French fries. Brussels meals featured prominently in his work. He also love different cultures but love most his local culture, the Ostend carnival. With all the love for the environment and dishes he still criticized his home country in his work. Anti-establishment theme also prominently featured in his paintings attacking the Catholic Church, military and Belgians monarchy. In his painting on the Christ entry in to Brussels he appeared to be criticizing politicians and historians. His criticism of Belgium and individual politicians didn’t work entirely well for him and was part of the reason for frictions with both political class and other artists.

Ensor is credited for transforming contemporary art into new heights. His expression techniques in painting and physical aggression with great colors inspired most of 20th century artist. He was the most creative artist of that ever lived at that time. He explore in creative way horror, bizarre together with humor in a ruthless manner. He touches on almost every theme not just with criticism but also with praise on some instances. However he explores more on the spirit of cannibalism and that is why his office was laden with skeletons with masks.

There are many reasons why Ensor at his early age was a defiant and scandalous figure but later rising to become an international icon praised even in his native Belgium that earlier saw him as scandalous. The earlier periods was a dark period in Belgium with both political and social unrest and many people and works of art were suppressed. This was also a period of cultural change. With his creativity mixed with genius he was able to comfortably borrow from all artistic sources, old and new, local and foreign and he mixes drawing together with printing and drawing in an excellent way. It was a renaissance in the arts of drawing. Ensor started from a mild point but he quickly enters the limelight in the entire Europe. Up to date there has never been creativity in the field of arts that have matched Ensor’s creativity which had great internal contradictions and psychological geniuses.

Many modern painters have paid visit to Ensor’s place to look at his work. James Ensor also captures the attention of artists in other field and inspired the song "Meet James Ensor” that was recorded by They Might Be Giants and alternative rock. His story and work have also inspired movies key among them is the Camping Cosmos, a Belgian movie that was produced in 1996. In 2009 at museum of modern earth in New York about 120 works by James Ensor were exhibited and have also been displayed in Paris.

Conclusion

James Ensor is considered the greatest artist of 19th century due to his innovation and psychological complexity. He has inspired many contemporary artist and many currently are paying him homage. His work are displayed in many public museums, many are in royal museums of fine arts of Belgium and in royal museum of modern art in New York. Ensor is one of the greatest legends of Belgian having exhibited excellent work both in painting and print making; he is a great advocate of symbolism in Belgium. He was a predecessor in art of expressing emotions through paintings and a movement that uses literature to communicate in the modern world. He spends most of his early live in his local town of Ostend a coastal town. He trained to become a professional painter in Brussels academy. The theme of his early paintings was mainly in landscapes of major towns, interiors in warm, muted tones and naturalism. His father died when Ensor was only 17, he was an alcoholic and that could have been the major cause of his death. Ensor returned to the Ostend the town he grew up upon his completion of the training, he set up a small studio above his parents shop.