Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Belgium)

Herwig Todts

In a nutshell: An interesting selection of the work of three peculiar artists and pioneers of modern art There is a part of human nature that has always been fascinated by the grotesque - the feeling of not wanting to look, yet being unable to look away, is a feeling that has been inspired in us all at one point or another. Grotesque depictions play an important role in the works of Francisco Goya (1746-1828), Odilon Redon (1840-1916) and James Ensor (1860-1949). These three artists use grotesque motifs in a very different manner: the classical ideas of Goya clearly differ from Redon's symbolism or Ensor's hilarious and cynical mockery. This book presents a rare series of sketches by Goya, grotesque drawings by Redon and a selection of Ensor's top paintings from museums all over the world, and both challenges and confirms the various aesthetic notions of the grotesque. The official catalogue for the exhibition in the Royal Museum for Fine Arts in Antwerp (March/June 2009) ILLUSTRATIONS 110 colour & 110 b/w illustrations

Herwig Todts

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