The Intrigue 1890

James Ensor made this painting, titled ‘The Intrigue’, with oil on canvas. You can really see the texture, the quick, broken brushwork, and the vibrant colors laid on thickly. Ensor was from Belgium, and this painting suggests a carnival or festival atmosphere with figures wearing masks. These masks are not refined craft objects, they're more like mass-produced novelties. We know Belgium was one of the first industrialized countries, and his family home was also a souvenir shop. Think about that conjunction of commerce, the handmade, and the machine-made – how commodities enter into the most intimate of relationships. Ensor's work suggests a world where social relations are mediated by these objects. They give a theatrical appearance, but the scene also feels unsettling. Ensor has a punk sensibility. He is playing with notions of the grotesque, but also the decorative. Understanding these historical contexts is crucial to understanding the full impact of the artwork.