The Intrigue (painting)

The Intrigue is an oil on canvas painting created by Belgian expressionist painter James Ensor. This painting is in the possession of Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp and is part of the official inventory of Flemish masterpieces.[1]

The Intrigue
ArtistJames Ensor
Year1890
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions90 cm × 149 cm (35 in × 59 in)
LocationRoyal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp

The use of masks in Ensor's paintings is prevalent. The masks and the use of colours increase the expressive quality of the painting. The sharp contrast that is created through the use of pure colours on white canvas is a follow up on French impressionist traditions.[2]

Description

The painting consists of 11 figures who are all masked. In the centre of the painting, a woman is taking a man's hand with a triumphant smile. The masks are revealing the figures' characters instead of hiding them. In the right corner of the painting, a woman is holding a doll or a dead baby. The colourful bodies create a contrast with the white background.

This painting is labelled as "grotesque" and "a group portrait".[3] This painting might still be considered as a realistic picture because of its few references to accurate depiction of the outside world, for instance the colour of the sky.[4]

Source of inspiration

Although Ensor is often categorised along with Vincent van Gogh and Edward Munch as an expressionist artist, with The Intrigue he manifests his inclinations towards the path of Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Brueghel the elder in drawing and creating bizarre images.[5]

The story behind the painting is autobiographical and inspired by an actual event during Ensor's life. It depicts his sister's marriage with a Chinese art dealer from Berlin that caused a lot of scandals in Ensor's hometown.[5]

References
  1. "De intrige". Topstukken-cjsm (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  2. "The intrigue". KMSKA. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  3. "The Intrigue". Art History Project. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  4. Becks-Malorny, Ulrike. "Ensor". Taschen: 63.
  5. "The Intrigue, 1911". Collections Arts Mia. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
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