James Ensor (1860-1949)

In contrast to French 'Plein-airisme' Ensor's Impressionism has the restrained grey light of the North, the careful balance between warm rose tones and the cool blues. A heavy impasto is characteristic for this period during which Ensor often drew with the palette knife.
'This contributes to the fullness of atmosphere in all his early painting, where the air seems to move about the scene in heavy and almost tangible waves' (see: L. Tanenbaum, James Ensor, New York 1951, p.37).