Belgium in the 19th Century
Artist / maker
James Ensor (etchers)Date
1889Period
19th centuryCollection
Museum of Fine Arts Ghent
Ensor's vision of the political situation in Belgium at the end of the 19th century is clearly expressed in this print. Elevated above the tumult, King Leopold II, like God the Father, looks with evil eyes at a demonstration that is being dispersed by military force. From the crowd, one of the rebels tries to reach the king with his…
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Ensor's vision of the political situation in Belgium at the end of the 19th century is clearly expressed in this print. Elevated above the tumult, King Leopold II, like God the Father, looks with evil eyes at a demonstration that is being dispersed by military force. From the crowd, one of the rebels tries to reach the king with his banner. On it are the demands of the people: general conscription, compulsory education and universal suffrage. The king's indifference is evident from the texts that surround him: "What do you want? Are you not satisfied? A little patience. No violence. I see something, but I don't quite understand what it's about." The biting satire on the contemporary political and social context is also found in the etching "Doctrinal Nourishment" (inv. 1998-B-81). The etching "Belgium in the 19th Century" is based on the chalk drawing of the same name (Brussels, Royal Library, inv. S.V. 2736).
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