Tim Van Laere Gallery unveils James Ensor's vital late oeuvre

From March 12 to May 16, 2026, Tim Van Laere Gallery Antwerp presents a solo exhibition of the renowned Belgian artist James Ensor (1860–1949), curated by Ensor specialist Herwig Todts and Tim Van Laere. The exhibition James Ensor, a Portrait of the Old Master as a Young Man focuses specifically on Ensor’s late, surprisingly vital oeuvre. Rather than depicting an artist repeating earlier successes, it presents an old master who remains playful, curious, and experimental; a creator who, well into old age, resisted what he called “Saint Routine.” Close study of his later work reveals an artist who stayed youthful in spirit and continued to experiment tirelessly with “les manières les plus opposées.” In his studio, he revisited colorful seascapes, and failed etching prints inspired sinisterly whimsical compositions. Shells and porcelain figurines become small, seemingly innocent theatrical scenes. Tiny masked creatures appear here and there, both performing f