Naakten en harlekijnen 1928 - 1930

Curator: Looking at it for the first time, this pastel and watercolor work, titled "Naakten en harlekijnen" ("Nudes and Harlequins"), shimmers like a memory, doesn't it? Editor: It does. It feels dreamlike, almost faded. Washed out. Ghostly. Are those figures? Curator: Indeed. James Ensor created this composition sometime between 1928 and 1930. The combination of pastel and watercolor lends a delicate, ethereal quality, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Definitely ethereal. Harlequins… traditionally figures of mischievousness, wit, and masked identities. I'm intrigued by the ghostly presentation though. Do they signify some form of hidden truth beneath the surface? Curator: It is classic Ensor. Remember that Ensor often used masks and figures in disguise to explore themes of hypocrisy, social critique, but also the joyous freedom that comes with embracing different identities. Perhaps these harlequins, faded as they are, suggest the fleeting nature of those roles or the ambiguity inherent in self-representation. Editor: The pale washes also bring to mind memories; a nostalgic gauze filters our view of the harlequins and nudes. Was this period particularly contemplative for him? Curator: Interesting point! This was toward the later part of his career. Ensor, by then an established figure, often revisited earlier themes and motifs. It's like the figures are fading back into the canvas, perhaps reflecting on time passed, and perhaps a wistful view towards past glories or lost innocence. It almost feels like these pastel chalk figures have almost disappeared completely in time! Editor: The longer I look, the more melancholic the image seems to become. Almost as if Ensor is letting these characters from his life dissolve into a fond, slightly sad recollection. Thank you for pointing out these subtleties. I will think of his pastel "Naakten en harlekijnen" as a symbolic meditation. Curator: Precisely. It is a touching farewell, filled with fondness and that Ensor mix of darkness, light and masked vulnerability that stays with us even after we move on.