17. Chinoiseries
We were already introduced to 'Chinoiserie' in the works by Marie de Bièvre, Georgette Meunier and Louise De Hem, and Ensor embraced it too. Chinoiserie was one of his favourite subjects, and exotic objects were part of the composition in many other still lifes. Some Chinoiserie objects were imported, while others were already being copied in European studios. So it's perhaps unsurprising that they appear so abundantly in Ensor's work. Not only was there the prior history of the Ostend Company. In the Belle Epoque, Ostend also had no fewer than seven souvenir shops. Ensor's mother Marie and his aunt Mimi's shop was one of them. They sold shells, mother-of-pearl jewellery as well as Chinoiserie objects and porcelain to wealthy tourists. Ensor thus joined the tradition of the extravagant still life, but was intrigued by the fantastical and the unreal side of those exotic objects.
The choice of the still life perfectly suited Ensor's reclusive nature. He liked to work in the intimacy of his studio, where he could create his compositions in peace and freedom and develop his painting technique and style.
In Seashells and Chinoiseries, he let his imagination run wild on the colour and shape of the objects. Numerous blue-white shades and red accents direct your gaze to a mishmash of objects that are barely recognisable, verging on the abstract.
Do you see shells, a vase, a tablecloth perhaps? It's not the silhouette or outlines, but the light that gives it shape, that guides Ensor's hand.
Another work, Chinoiseries, Fans and Fabrics, appears to be a veritable ode to the faraway East. Beautiful fans, a colourful vase, a teapot and even an exotic feather are displayed on luxurious fabrics. The work reflects Ensor's attention to the textures and patterns of the objects and the mood of the interior.