Every now and then, treasures turn up where you least expect them. Such as recently, in the case of an authentic etching dating from 1888 by the famous Ostend painter James Ensor. Since then, it has been added to the permanent collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA) in Antwerp.
Not long ago, Charlotte Pleysier, an employee at Kringwinkel Antwerp, was browsing among the pile of items brought into the sorting centre in Merksem and was absolutely amazed when she came face to face with a beautiful etching. Judging by the style of the piece and the signature at the bottom, she immediately had a strong suspicion that this was a genuine piece by James Ensor. Having visited the Ensor Museum in Ostend not long before, she was all but certain.
To get a definitive opinion, assistance was sought from the Beernaerts auction house, which specialises in art, and from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA). They confirmed its authenticity, based on the type of paper used and the signature and date in pencil at the bottom right, among other things. The work in question is Le Meuble Hanté (The Haunted Furniture) from 1888. Some of James Ensor's works fetch astronomical sums, however the value of this etching is easily estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 euros.
Kringwinkel Antwerp donated this gem with its creepy-crazy imagery, to KMSKA, where it was proudly unveiled.
