View of Mariakerke 1901

James Ensor painted this view of Mariakerke using oil on canvas. Ensor was known for his bold use of color and thick impasto, which you can see in the way the paint is layered on the canvas. It creates a textured surface that captures the light, and that brings the scene to life. In his time, these techniques aligned him with avant-garde art movements like Impressionism and Expressionism. But Ensor was also deeply invested in the traditions of painting, and in the expressive potential of the medium itself. You could say that the subject matter in the painting, a seemingly humble village scene, is less important than the artist's engagement with the materiality of the paint. By pushing the boundaries of what oil paint could do, Ensor challenged traditional notions of what art should be. This piece makes you realize that the act of painting itself can be a powerful form of expression.