Old Woman and Child 

This is James Ensor’s sketch, “Old Woman and Child”, made with graphite on paper. A somewhat haunting scene unfolds through minimal means. The composition is sparse, almost ghostly, with the figures emerging tentatively from the paper's surface. Ensor employs line with varying pressure and density, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. The figures aren't sharply defined. Instead, they are sketched with tentative strokes, capturing the essence of form rather than precise detail. This evokes a sense of transience, as if the figures are apparitions. The old woman, with her stooped posture, is rendered with rough lines that suggest weariness. In contrast, the child is more softly drawn, yet their gaze is direct and somewhat unsettling. The unfinished quality of the sketch challenges the traditional concept of a completed artwork. It invites us to consider the process of creation as significant as the final product. The sketch then becomes a space where meaning is not fixed, but emergent and open to interpretation.