Floretten 1880 - 1885

James Ensor created "Floretten" using pencil on paper. The composition is immediately striking, dominated by strong diagonal lines and a monochromatic palette. The repeated forms of what appear to be fencing foils create a dynamic sense of movement. Ensor's mark-making here is critical. The energetic, almost frantic lines that define both the objects and the background suggest a world in flux, hinting at instability. The lack of clear distinction between the figures and the ground further dissolves any sense of fixed space. We might think of Bergson's ideas about duration and the fluidity of time. Ensor seems to visually echo these concepts by rendering objects not as static entities, but as forms in constant states of becoming. The drawing destabilizes our expectations of representation. The foils seem to dissolve into the surrounding space. This blurring challenges the viewer to reconsider the boundaries between objects and their environment.