Woman Singing 1880 - 1883

James Ensor made this drawing of a woman singing in Belgium, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. The woman is singing, perhaps on stage. Ensor was interested in performers and performance, and how this ties into society and politics. Consider the image itself. The quick sketchy lines give us the sense of the woman performing in the moment, of the quick fleeting nature of performance. Ensor captures the woman's energy and emotion. Note too, the way the woman is dressed, with ruffles. This was a time of enormous social change in Europe. Ensor was a progressive artist who explored the political potential of imagery. He used art as a tool to question and challenge the status quo. To understand Ensor better, we need to research his life and the history of Belgium at the time. We might consult archives, letters, and other primary sources to gain a deeper understanding of the artwork's social and institutional context. Only then can we appreciate the full meaning of his work.