The etching "The Cataclysms" depicts the end of the world. In a swirling torment, water, air, fire and earth have united, and the four elements are causing a train to crash. In the last carriages, a celebrating crowd is depicted, completely unaware of the impending doom. The scene is reminiscent of the visionary work of the British artist John Martin, but Ensor's mockery and caricature transcend Martin's romantic vision.
| Artist |
James Ensor
RKD
VIAF
Wikidata
|
|---|---|
| Title | The Cataclysms |
| Date | 1888 |
| Period | 19th century |
| Medium and support | etching AAT |
| Signatures, inscriptions, and markings | signatures (names) bottom right: Ensor |
| signatures (names) bottom right: James Ensor | |
| inscription on the reverse: AT | |
| title on the reverse: Les cataclysmes | |
| inscription on the reverse: 24 / D. 37 | |
| Collection | print room |
| Object type | etching AAT |
| Inventory number | 1998-B-37 |
| Acquisition credit |
purchase
Taevernier, Auguste (coll.) 1998 |
| Current whereabouts | Work currently not on display |
| Permalink | https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1998-B-37 |
| IIIF Manifest | https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/4043/manifest.json |
| Art & Architecture Thesaurus | 300056485 fantastic art AAT |
|---|---|
| Keywords Iconclass |
21
the four elements, and ether, the fifth element
Iconclass
21A air (one of the four elements) Iconclass 21B earth (one of the four elements) Iconclass 21C fire (one of the four elements) Iconclass 21D water (one of the four elements) Iconclass 43A festivities Iconclass 43A2 private festivities, merry company Iconclass 46A7 crowd, mob Iconclass 46C1511 railway, train Iconclass 46C15112 passenger train Iconclass 52A4 Imagination; 'Imaginatione' (Ripa) Iconclass 52A44 Fantasy, Caprice; 'Capriccio' (Ripa) Iconclass 56BB21 Calamity, Distress; 'Calamita', 'Calamita o miseria' (Ripa) Iconclass |
| School / Style |
phantasy
satire (artistic device) AAT |
| James Ensor : Catalogue illustré de ses gravures ; Leur description critique et l'inventaire des plaques = Geïllustreerde catalogus van zijn gravures ; Hun kritische beschrijving en inventaris van de platen = Illustrated catalogue of his engravings ; Their critical description and inventary of the plates / Auguste Taevernier. - Ledeberg (Gent) : Erasmus Boekhandel bv Amsterdam, 1973 (nr. 37) |
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