The Edgar Allan Poe Stan in Our Galleries
His colorful works have surprisingly dark backgrounds
Portrait of Edgar Allan Poe, 1849, American. Daguerreotype, 7 1/16 × 5 7/8 in. Getty Museum, 84.XT.957
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Edgar Allan Poe lived a life as dark as the works he authored.
And one of his short stories was depicted by Belgian artist James Ensor. If you’ve been to the Getty Center before, you might recognize Ensor's name from one of the largest paintings hanging in the gallery: Christ’s Entry into Brussels in 1889, pictured below.
Christ’s Entry into Brussels in 1889, 1888, James Ensor. Oil on canvas, 99 ½ x 169 ½ in. Getty Museum, 87.PA.96
The Poe story that Ensor depicted was Hop-Frog. Published in 1849, it is a dark tale in which a court jester takes revenge on a king and his councillors for their abuse, ultimately stringing them up on a chandelier and lighting them on fire at a masquerade. This scene is depicted in Hop-Frog’s Revenge, below.
La vengeance de Hop-Frog, 1860-1949, James Ensor. Etching and drypoint with gouache and watercolor on Japan paper, 28 x 23 in. Getty Museum, 2021.PR.1
It’s controversial subject matter, but Ensor is no stranger to controversial takes. At first glance, Christ's Entry Into Brussel's is just a beautiful example of pointillism. But look closer, and you'll see that its figures represent similarly hefty political commentary.
You can read more about The Scandalous Art of James Ensor on this Google Arts & Culture page.
A Photograph of James Ensor at work in his studio, 1896-1897, Fonds Ensor.
Was Ensor just a Poe fanboy who delighted in the macabre, or was he a working class artist who recognized the value in stories created by a similar artist from before his time?
There's one thing we know for sure: revenge is a dish best served…hot.
