Biljartspelende geraamten 1903

James Ensor, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, drew these skeletons playing billiards with what looks like pencil or ink on paper. Just imagine him, hatching and cross-hatching to create a scene of bony revelry! I wonder what Ensor was thinking when he drew this strange scene? Maybe, like me when I’m painting, he started with one skeleton leaning over the table, and then another, and another, until suddenly a whole crowd of skeletons had showed up to play. See how the lines are loose and scratchy, almost frantic, like he was possessed by these figures! The tilted table and scattered skeletons create a chaotic energy, it's like death itself is a game, a messy, absurd game. Other artists, like Goya, have taken death as a subject, but Ensor brings a bizarre sense of humor to it all. It’s a conversation across time. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art doesn't always have to be serious. Sometimes, it can be playful, spooky, and a little bit silly.