Self-Portrait with Flowered Hat 1883

James Ensor painted Self-Portrait with Flowered Hat, using oil on canvas. This self-portrait situates Ensor within the milieu of the late 19th-century avant-garde, a period marked by rapid social change and artistic experimentation. Ensor challenges traditional notions of masculinity and artistic identity, seen through his flamboyant attire. The flowered hat and the gaze directed at the viewer invite a dialogue about performance and authenticity. How does Ensor negotiate the boundaries of gender and class through his self-representation? His choice of traditionally feminine adornments disrupts conventional portrayals of male artists, while alluding to the fluidity of identity. Ensor remarked about his self-portraits that, “the domain of painting is limitless." Through this image, Ensor crafts a persona that is both intimate and theatrical, pushing us to reflect on the multifaceted nature of selfhood.