Descent from the Cross 1921

James Ensor made this lithograph called Descent from the Cross, with crayon, in red, yellow, and blue. Look closely at the radiating marks. I imagine Ensor leaning in, really feeling this religious scene, and going at it with passion but also a cool distance, since it’s a print. I sympathize with the artist, wrestling with the legacy of religious painting! I bet he was thinking about Rubens. But he was also probably interested in making something that really felt like his own time. I wonder if he let the nature of lithography lead him? See the chalky marks. They don’t blend so much as vibrate next to each other. Even though it’s a religious scene, it feels so physical, so of-the-hand. It’s like he was digging in. But it’s also like a memory. Ensor was always in conversation with other artists, and I imagine he felt like he was arguing with the past. It’s such an inspiring process, pushing painting forward.