Christ Among the Murderers 1921

James Ensor made this drawing with colored pencils, the red and blue intertwining in a rather unnerving scene. It’s Christ on the cross, but rather than a solemn religious depiction, it feels agitated, like a raw nerve exposed. I imagine Ensor’s hand moving quickly, scratching the paper, layering color upon color in an attempt to capture something just out of reach. There's this halo around Christ’s head rendered in soft yellows and oranges, but instead of radiating divinity, it feels like an aura of anxiety. The figures surrounding the cross seem trapped, their faces twisted with a mix of fear and confusion. Ensor’s known for his chaotic compositions and grotesque figures, and I see echoes of Goya’s dark, surreal visions here. It’s like both artists are wrestling with the darker aspects of human nature. This work is less about religious iconography, and more about exploring the psychological terrain of fear, suffering, and the absurd theatre of human existence. It seems to say that sometimes art is about asking questions, not providing answers.