Artwork
The Seven Deadly Sins: Pride
The Seven Deadly Sins: Pride is a print by James Ensor. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
This sketch shows a man in a dark suit standing in the center, surrounded by a chaotic crowd of faces.
This sketch shows a man in a dark suit standing in the center, surrounded by a chaotic crowd of faces. Some faces are grinning, others look angry or confused, and a few seem to float in the air. The background is filled with swirling lines and odd shapes, like a storm or tangled hair.
The man’s stern expression and the messy crowd around him might hint at a warning. The artist’s name, James Ensor, is signed in the corner, along with the date 1904.
Look up James Ensor next to see more of his strange, expressive work.
Overview
Created in 1904, *The Seven Deadly Sins: Pride* is a print by Belgian artist James Ensor. Part of a larger series on moral failings, the work depicts the sin of pride and is currently housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre stands a man in a dark suit, his expression severe, encircled by a tumultuous crowd of faces that range from grinning to angry to bewildered. The chaotic assembly suggests a visual warning about the isolating and disruptive nature of excessive self‑importance.
Technique & Style
Ensor employs a dense, sketch‑like line work and swirling, almost storm‑like backgrounds that give the composition a sense of turbulence. The grotesque, exaggerated facial features and the floating, disordered figures are characteristic of his satirical visual language.
History & Provenance
Ensor, a lifelong resident of Ostend, was a member of the avant‑garde collective Les XX. His work from this period, including the Pride print, contributed to the development of early 20th‑century expressionism and surrealism before entering the Cleveland Museum’s collection.
Context
The print belongs to a series that explores each of the seven deadly sins, reflecting Ensor’s ongoing interest in moral critique through grotesque and theatrical imagery. The series aligns with his broader practice of using satire to comment on social and personal vices.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) was a Belgian painter and printmaker, an important influence on expressionism and surrealism who lived in Ostend for most of his life.
