I'm glad you talked about Ensor. When I first saw one of his paintings it captivated me. I saw the society I am living, all the chaos, the color, everything. It's my favorite artist of all time.
I used James Ensor in my studio work at art college because his work was so Modern, even though he was born in 1860, he was ahead of his time. His 1899 Masterpiece is inspirational; it is full of angst and has the world changed? Another worthy video which I will watch again, again, etc
@@RGBEAT Absolutely, figurative painting with lashings of angst will always be contemporary no matter when it is or was painted. As well, the paint is so thick and sculptural.
When I was young we often visited Ostend and one day when I was 10/12 , we visited a dual exposition of Ensor and another painter from Ostend, Léon Spilliaert. I remember being really drawn to Spillaert's works, while being repulsed/scared/intrigued by Ensor's masks. They hide so much in plain sight, while Spilliaert is raw, honest and a bit mysterious in the loneliness he portrays. I could go more in detail but it's the first time I remember being really fascinated by art and the contrast between the two painters. It doesn't happen often to me, but when it does it stays with me.
only 31 seconds into the video and you’ve already blown me away with your introduction about masks and their inherent link to humanity and identity, consistently well done and intelligent videos keep it up!
Many years ago I went to an Ensor retrospective in Brussels. It was one of the most astonishing exhibitions I've ever seen. I'd been a fan of the masks and skeletons of course. But funnily enough one of the pictures I remember most is an early work of a red cabbage. It was so beautifully painted.
Ensor holds a special place in my heart, because it was at an exhibition of his work that I came to a realization in order to be art, a piece (painting, sculpture, etc.) had to elicit an emotional response, not just be a pretty or well executed. To this day every time I visit a particular museum in my city, I have to view Christ's Entry into Brussels in 1889, it feels like an old friend to me.
One of the first art albums I acquired was an Ensor. Many years later, visiting Ostend, I realized that he describes the caracter of the men and women in his pictures through masks. He lived a long life, almost 90, and he never went outside the limits of his town.
I like Ensor's works. It almost unsettling and yet it is beautiful in its violent strokes. I have been watching your channel for a while, and I wonder if you have heard of Arkhip Kuindzhi? His art style reminds me of Impressionism, but he wasn't part of it. Well, I enjoy your channel, this is the quality content I like.
I find the use of skulls and skeletons amongst masked figures in his paintings very interesting. To me it seems like the masks could be seen as the outward presentation of a person, from the looks to the emotions, needs and wants and much more. It's incredibly diverse and no figure has the same attributes - just like humans with all their different personalities. At the same time though, the skulls look all very similar, without the mask you can't identify these figures anymore - which is the complete opposite of what masks are for (to hide identity as it was said in the video). In his paintings the masks to hide the identity of a person become the striking feature to differentiate between all the different figures (you see who is a major, who is a bishop and so on) while the more or less natural human looking Form (a skull which every human has) completely removes this identity and "masks" them while not actually wearing a mask. I haven't really found an answer to this thought yet and wonder if any literature discussed this or refuted it.
Am I the only one who was immediately reminded of the Dream Parade from the film Paprika? Surely the creators of the movie had to have been inspired by this painting. It gives off the same uncanny dream-like chaos that the scene depicts.
I'm binge watching all your videos today! I love your channel! I haven't watched all of them yet, but I was wondering how you feel about Alice Neel? And if you already made a video in her- I'll get to it, but if you didn't... i would be interested in that video! Also, I totally agree with your Mona Lisa opinion. I have a similar opinion on Michelangelo...🙄😬anyway-I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!
I love Ensor masks paintings they are truly brilliant. I find masks to be a personification of emotions, they can be so scary but so intriguing at the same time.
Masks, mannequins, puppets, dolls, wind-up toys, animatronics... In the long-ago, we always felt a little bit creeped out, but repressed the feeling because nobody else acknowledged it. Now we freely express the "uncanny valley" feeling to the point where any mask or doll is a horror trope.
I think some of the comments left behind here are scarier than any of Ensor’s masks. Emojis are themselves very Ensor-esque, I believe, and the people use them like masks. Creepy texting clowns I call them. Need I paint you a picture?
i dont care what they mean. the look cool af and i think thats sufficient goal for art. (a lot of art that people praise including some of the classics are very boring to me and these masks are not)
The masks symbolically foreshadowed the now ostensible evolution of Vanity and Ostensibility, albeit, the hollow existence of Instagram and other platforms.
I'm glad you talked about Ensor. When I first saw one of his paintings it captivated me. I saw the society I am living, all the chaos, the color, everything. It's my favorite artist of all time.
I used James Ensor in my studio work at art college because his work was so Modern, even though he was born in 1860, he was ahead of his time. His 1899 Masterpiece is inspirational; it is full of angst and has the world changed? Another worthy video which I will watch again, again, etc
His work even feels like a contemporary painting in some ways
@@RGBEAT Absolutely, figurative painting with lashings of angst will always be contemporary no matter when it is or was painted. As well, the paint is so thick and sculptural.
another banger, the canvas cant miss i swear
When I was young we often visited Ostend and one day when I was 10/12 , we visited a dual exposition of Ensor and another painter from Ostend, Léon Spilliaert.
I remember being really drawn to Spillaert's works, while being repulsed/scared/intrigued by Ensor's masks. They hide so much in plain sight, while Spilliaert is raw, honest and a bit mysterious in the loneliness he portrays.
I could go more in detail but it's the first time I remember being really fascinated by art and the contrast between the two painters. It doesn't happen often to me, but when it does it stays with me.
only 31 seconds into the video and you’ve already blown me away with your introduction about masks and their inherent link to humanity and identity, consistently well done and intelligent videos keep it up!
Many years ago I went to an Ensor retrospective in Brussels. It was one of the most astonishing exhibitions I've ever seen. I'd been a fan of the masks and skeletons of course. But funnily enough one of the pictures I remember most is an early work of a red cabbage. It was so beautifully painted.
James Ensor, Belgium's favorite painter?
*salutes TMBG for occasionally making me feel cultured*
The only rock and roll song about James Ensor, wobbly start, but stick with it: ua-cam.com/video/WFiNAGP1KlY/v-deo.html
I had to listen to that song before I watched this video. Otherwise I knew it would be playing so loud in my head I couldn't hear what was being said.
Did not know about this artist, very fascinating art, thanks for the video!
Ensor holds a special place in my heart, because it was at an exhibition of his work that I came to a realization in order to be art, a piece (painting, sculpture, etc.) had to elicit an emotional response, not just be a pretty or well executed. To this day every time I visit a particular museum in my city, I have to view Christ's Entry into Brussels in 1889, it feels like an old friend to me.
One of the first art albums I acquired was an Ensor. Many years later, visiting Ostend, I realized that he describes the caracter of the men and women in his pictures through masks. He lived a long life, almost 90, and he never went outside the limits of his town.
I like Ensor's works. It almost unsettling and yet it is beautiful in its violent strokes. I have been watching your channel for a while, and I wonder if you have heard of Arkhip Kuindzhi? His art style reminds me of Impressionism, but he wasn't part of it. Well, I enjoy your channel, this is the quality content I like.
Okay, Ensor is a new favorite artist. Thank you for this fantastic video!
These videos are highly underrated
I find the use of skulls and skeletons amongst masked figures in his paintings very interesting. To me it seems like the masks could be seen as the outward presentation of a person, from the looks to the emotions, needs and wants and much more. It's incredibly diverse and no figure has the same attributes - just like humans with all their different personalities. At the same time though, the skulls look all very similar, without the mask you can't identify these figures anymore - which is the complete opposite of what masks are for (to hide identity as it was said in the video). In his paintings the masks to hide the identity of a person become the striking feature to differentiate between all the different figures (you see who is a major, who is a bishop and so on) while the more or less natural human looking Form (a skull which every human has) completely removes this identity and "masks" them while not actually wearing a mask.
I haven't really found an answer to this thought yet and wonder if any literature discussed this or refuted it.
Thank you, loved this, now subscribed.
Watching Halloween and a poster brought me here. 🔥
Am I the only one who was immediately reminded of the Dream Parade from the film Paprika? Surely the creators of the movie had to have been inspired by this painting. It gives off the same uncanny dream-like chaos that the scene depicts.
I think that scene pulls more from the hakki yokai engravings. Also thats such a good movie
I'm binge watching all your videos today! I love your channel! I haven't watched all of them yet, but I was wondering how you feel about Alice Neel? And if you already made a video in her- I'll get to it, but if you didn't... i would be interested in that video! Also, I totally agree with your Mona Lisa opinion. I have a similar opinion on Michelangelo...🙄😬anyway-I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!
I love Ensor masks paintings they are truly brilliant. I find masks to be a personification of emotions, they can be so scary but so intriguing at the same time.
Fantastic!!! Thank you!
Wonderful. Loved it
His composition almost reminds me of a "Where's Waldo?" book scene.
saw his artworks back in oostende it unreal to see them in real life
RIP James Ensor you wouldve loved the 21rst century
In the modern era he would be called the same names anti - maskers and antivaccers were called in the early part of the 2020s.
I feel like the jesus painting inspired the parade scene in satoshi kon's paprika
Beautiful 🙌
Is the Painting at 03:17 CAVALRY (armed military unit that uses horses) or CALVARY (the hill upon which Jesus is crucified)?
I looked it up and it ism in fact, CALVARY. It's a very easy mistake to make, considering it depicts a cavalry at Calvary.
Please do a video on Francis Bacon or Hariton Pushwagner
Thank you, great video
love these.
Masks, mannequins, puppets, dolls, wind-up toys, animatronics... In the long-ago, we always felt a little bit creeped out, but repressed the feeling because nobody else acknowledged it. Now we freely express the "uncanny valley" feeling to the point where any mask or doll is a horror trope.
I think some of the comments left behind here are scarier than any of Ensor’s masks. Emojis are themselves very Ensor-esque, I believe, and the people use them like masks. Creepy texting clowns I call them. Need I paint you a picture?
We've gone from violent brush strokes- to just, Violence.
Gorgeous, in a gothic kind of way.
Nice, a Belgian artist! 🇹🇩 Maybe check out Magritte one day, a surrealistic artist. 👍🏽🖌️💙
If Christ's Entry into Brussels was painted today, I would say its a representation of social media feed
i dont care what they mean. the look cool af and i think thats sufficient goal for art. (a lot of art that people praise including some of the classics are very boring to me and these masks are not)
We all wear masks
The masks symbolically foreshadowed the now ostensible evolution of Vanity and Ostensibility, albeit, the hollow existence of Instagram and other platforms.
paintings of Morphine delirium- hypocrisy at it's best
Ahha ahahaha
What's funny?
Now it makeup
What?