Spijskaart voor Charles Vos 1896

James Ensor created this reddish chalk drawing, Spijskaart voor Charles Vos, depicting a procession passing through a city gate. The composition draws us in with its spires and the solemn figures filing through the gate, bearing banners and what appears to be ceremonial garb. Notice the prevalence of such processions throughout art history, from ancient triumphal entries to religious parades in Renaissance paintings. The city gate, a symbol of transition and passage, hearkens back to ancient Roman arches, which served as both physical gateways and monuments to power. This procession, with its blend of the sacred and the civic, taps into a deep-seated human need for ritual and collective expression. It reminds us that these symbolic journeys transcend time, constantly reappearing in various guises, reflecting our enduring fascination with community, authority, and the theatrical display of power.