At Dawn 1880 - 1885

James Ensor created "At Dawn" using graphite on paper. The drawing presents a cluster of figures rendered in brisk, agitated lines. Look at how Ensor uses the graphite to create depth through the density of his marks; hatching and cross-hatching coalesce to suggest form and shadow. The composition seems to emerge from a chaotic array of strokes, yet there is an undeniable structure holding it together. Ensor was interested in how an artwork could destabilize established meanings. The figures, though suggestive of bourgeois society, are delineated with a nervous energy that unsettles any sense of order. The semiotic system at play here is one of disruption; the visual components—the hurried lines, the indistinct faces—resist a fixed interpretation. The drawing challenges our perception of space and representation, inviting us to question what is solid and what is merely suggested. It reflects broader artistic concerns of the period, particularly a move away from traditional representation towards a more subjective, psychological portrayal of the world.