Carnival in Flanders (Zürich)

Executed in oil, the painting employs saturated hues and brisk brushwork that lend a kinetic quality to the figures. A muted backdrop recedes behind the central group, emphasizing the bright costumes and creating depth through layered pigment and textured surface.

Created in the late 1920s, the work reflects Ensor’s mature period after his long association with the avant‑garde collective Les XX. It entered the Kunsthaus Zürich’s holdings in the mid‑20th century, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s modern European collection.

Ensor, a native of Ostend, Belgium, was a pivotal figure linking 19th‑century symbolism to later expressionist and surrealist currents. His fascination with masks, masquerades, and the grotesque informed this painting, situating it within his broader exploration of societal masks and the tension between public festivity and private identity.