Mijn zuster en schets van een schilderij 1880 - 1883

James Ensor created this drawing, "My Sister and Sketch of a Painting," employing delicate pencil lines to capture intimate studies. The composition is divided, with the detailed rendering of his sister dominating the upper portion. Her contemplative gaze and the soft hatching suggest a quiet, internal world. Below, Ensor includes a less defined sketch of his sister, rendered in profile, and a small framed painting or sketch. These juxtapositions destabilize a singular, fixed perspective, inviting us to consider the multifaceted nature of representation. The contrast in detail and the fragmented composition challenge traditional notions of portraiture. Ensor's use of line—ranging from precise to almost scribbled—creates a dynamic interplay between visibility and concealment. It speaks to the subjective experience of seeing and the fluid boundaries between observation, memory, and imagination. The work becomes a semiotic exercise, prompting questions about how we construct meaning through visual signs and structural relations.