Even 76 years after his death, Ostend painter James Ensor (1860–1949) continues to captivate the world. Recently, Débris resurfaced, a relatively unknown portrait by Ensor with a distinct provenance. The city of Ostend was determined to acquire it.
James Ensor did not paint many portraits of his mother. Only two are known. One is on display at Mu.ZEE in Ostend, the other at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels. This oil painting from 1900 is something of an oddity. The subject, Marie Louise Cathérine Haegheman (1835–1915), was 65 years old at the time. Directly above her head, Ensor painted a real portrait of a young woman, which once hung in the Ensor family living room and now hangs in the James Ensor House in Ostend. He titled his artwork Débris. Not exactly a flattering portrayal, which the Brussels auction house Arenberg Auctions attributes to his strained relationship with his mother.
The canvas’s name is original, as is its provenance. It was once owned by the family of Anna Roose. Anna ran a shop selling painting supplies, where the Ostend Grand Master would occasionally come to stock up. Whether he sold or gifted Débris to the shop assistant remains unknown. That the work is an authentic Ensor is certain, the competent Advisory Committee ruled, even though it is not mentioned in Ensor’s well-known catalogue of works.
By the way, €125,000 for some "debris" is quite a sum, don’t you think?
