Gevecht van de luizenkoppen Désir en Rissolé 1888

James Ensor made this print, "Gevecht van de luizenkoppen Désir en Rissolé" using etching, a process of using acid to cut into a metal plate. It is far from the work of a traditional academic artist. The quality of the line is extremely important, and the use of labor that goes into the etching process. The quick, scratchy style of "Gevecht van de luizenkoppen Désir en Rissolé" contributes to the cartoonish, grotesque quality of the scene. It is not about capturing detail; it is about pure expression. Ensor was engaging with the history of printmaking – a medium with a strong connection to social commentary. But he clearly wasn't interested in a refined aesthetic, and challenged the traditional idea of high art. This print embodies a sense of the carnivalesque, the handmade, and the deliberately disruptive. It is a powerful reminder that the means of production can be just as important as the final image.