James Ensor: Scènes de la vie du Christ and other works

January 23-March 18, 2012

James Ensor’s (Belgian, 1860-1949) Scènes de la vie du Christ (Scenes from the Life of Christ), 1921, is a portfolio of thirty-two lithographs executed after drawings in colored pencil Ensor made between 191l and 1920. Considered as perhaps his most all-encompassing graphic project, the portfolio is inspired by the late-medieval combination of religious themes and carnival humor. Like many works in Ensor’s oevre, Scènes de la vie du Christ contrasts beauty with monsterly figures, and delicate rendering with bold and bizarre passages. This exhibition may include additional prints by the artist.

Curricular Initiatives Handout – Ensor