Artwork
Girl with Masks (Communion)
Girl with Masks (Communion) is an oil painting by the Symbolist artist James Ensor. It dates from 1921 and is held in the collection of the Städel Museum.
About this work
Overview
Girl with Masks (Communion) is a 1921 oil painting by James Ensor, a Belgian artist associated with the avant-garde movement Les XX. The work is now held in the Städel Museum.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a young girl in a yellow dress surrounded by grotesque masks, a skull, and a bird, juxtaposing innocence with societal facade. The girl's blurred face and open mouth suggest a sense of interaction or communication with the surrounding figures.
Technique & Style
The painting features a mix of bright and muted colors, with thick brushstrokes visible in some areas, indicating the use of impasto. The overall effect is playful and creative, characteristic of Ensor's symbolist style, which later influenced expressionism and surrealism.
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.
![The Artist's Son Georges [verso], by Camille Pissarro](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/camille-pissarro--the-artist-s-son-georges-verso--053697550e9f2889-w320.webp)
