Joan of Arc 1880 - 1885

James Ensor rendered this drawing of Joan of Arc in graphite on paper. The image is executed with a frenetic energy: look closely, and you'll see how Ensor drags the graphite across the surface with tremendous speed and pressure, giving us a glimpse into his own performance of creation. Graphite, though naturally occurring, is a material that only came into widespread use through industrialization. It is a key component in pencils, which are themselves a symbol of mass literacy and standardized education. The intense mark-making in the drawing feels directly related to the ready availability of this accessible, relatively inexpensive material. The sketch-like quality of the drawing, in which Joan of Arc appears almost as a ghost in the landscape, demonstrates Ensor's radical rethinking of traditional artistic materials and processes. He is not aiming for refinement or completion, but rather capturing a fleeting moment of inspiration. By focusing on the materiality and making of the drawing, we can appreciate Ensor's challenge to the established art world.