Created in 1888 at Ostend, "The Entry of Christ into Brussels," an oil on canvass measuring 99 ½" x 169 ½", per se was least artistic and creatively attractive. It was very intense however, in its controversial message, disfavoring the ambitious and hypocrite crème-de-la-crème of the then society. Les XX, the artists' association that Ensor co-founded, rejected this masterpiece, which could not be exhibited publicly, until 1929. Mindless of the treatment meted out to him, Ensor always proudly displayed "Christ's Entry into Brussels" in his home and studio. Meanwhile, the painting gathered critical appreciation over time.
The artist had tried painting the theme many times earlier, but not to his satisfaction. The trial versions of "The Entry of Christ into Brussels" are still kept in museums. James' paintings were aggressive, painterly in style, and deep emotional, carrying mass appeal. "The Entry of Christ into Brussels" was a forerunner of the twentieth-century 'Expressionism.'
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