James Ensor (1860-1949): 'Ma tante chérie', mixed technique on paper, mounted on cardboard, dated 14 April 1916

Work: 25,1 x 18,1 cm

Inscribed 'Ma Tante Chérie', signed 'James Ensor' and dated '14 avril 1916' to the lower right.
Inscribed 'A James Ensor 27 rue de Flandre Ostende' and 'A Ensor J', above 'Ma tante morte' later overwritten to 'Ma chère morte', above another illegible scribble.

Interestingly, the work is fixed to the back using tags from the store Haegheman De Winter, 11 et 19 rue de Flandre, reading 'Fabrique d'ouvrages en Coquillages - Coquillages pour Collections' ('Production of artworks with shells' and 'Collectable shells') and 'Porcelaines et autres articles de Chine et du Japon' ('Porcelain and other items from China and Japan). This is the store run by his uncle, Leopold Haegheman, a few houses away from Ensor's parents' store.

Provenance:
- A Belgian private collection.
- Private collection, Philadelphia, USA.

Ref.: Tricot, James Ensor: Catalogue Raisonne des Peintures (2 Vols.), pp. 471, no. 472, for the large version of this work executed in oil on canvas, where the existence of this work is mentioned: " A coloured drawing of 1916 of the same subject also exists (cf. Le Roy, p. 195)". It was last published as part of the Galerie Adrian David, Knokke. (link)(see image 5)

Here Ensor manages to capture the final moments of a woman’s life - the artist’s own aunt (his mother's sister), Marie-Louise Haegheman - whom he lovingly called "Mimi" - and who passed away on April 11, 1916, a year after his mother's death. Continuing his use of bold colour, the red background is juxtaposed against the woman’s quiet figure. She is shown clutching a crucifix and has her eyes closed as if in prayer, leaving the viewer to question if the subject has already passed on.