COMPARATIVE STUDY

Jan Serr: American visual artist from the

Midwest. Spent most of her formative years in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Phoenix, Arizona.
James Ensor: Belgian painter and printmaker.
He was a prominent impressionist and surrealist
artist.
JAN SERR
Painting from her Dance Moves series
Media: Acrylic Paint on Canvas
Size: Unknown
Year: 2015

First impressions:
The artist is known for having a passion for
composing music, and this is why she has
the dancers in this piece.
Compared to Ensor's pieces this one is Dance Works By Jane Serr
harder to understand if you don't have any Painting acquired from Jan Serrs website (janserr.com)

background into the artist. Since there is

less context to analyze.
CULTURAL CONTEXT FOR DANCE MOVES
Serr studied classical music during her youth, mainly in voice and
piano. During the 1950s she studied at the Wisconsin
Conservatory of Music which had an impact on many of her
pieces. For example, in 2014 she did a photography/video project
exploring ballet dancers. Ballet music is mainly classical piano
which could explain Serr's motivation for making this piece
according to her website.
Also, Serr studied with another prominent Milwaukee artist, Fred Dance Works By Jane Serr
Berman. They have very similar styles. They make abstract pieces Painting acquired from Jan Serrs
website (janserr.com)
with meanings that connect to their personal lives. For example,
Serr connects her pieces to her personal interest. This is also true
of Ensor, who is known for connecting his pieces to his life
experiences, mainly his depression and loneliness.
 FUNCTION AND PURPOSE FOR DANCE MOVES
The use of simple colors can be used to represent classical music. Another representation of
classical music is the smooth simple lines that Serr uses to make the dancers. These lines
flow smoothly like graceful dancers.
Also the position of the dancers shows the ability needed to perform and dance to classical
music. If you look closely you can see she makes light lines to show swift movement and
grace.
Both Serr and Ensor use the way they paint the objects in their
pieces to get across their points. For example, in the pieces in her
Dance Moves series, Seer uses the smooth lines to represent
the dances themselves. While Ensor uses his placement of objects
to show what he thinks about them.
Dance Works By
Jane Serr
Painting acquired
from Jan Serrs
website
(janserr.com)
 MEDIA FOR DANCE MOVES

Serr used news clippings, some as small as a few inches and culled from publications like the New
York Times, to render pairings of dancers. Memory also features strongly in these works, as her keen
study and attendance at live concerts of contemporary dance continue to fuel her artistic inspiration
as is written on her website (janeserr.com) under this piece.
For this piece she took the news clippings and used them as brushes. I think the way that she was able
to achieve such a clean manipulation of the paint with just newspaper and her fingers. I admire this
because, I struggle with clean marksmanship in my painting and Im actually using brushes.
Unlike Ensor, Serr variates more from contemporary painting techniques, shown by the substitution of
brushes for something unconventionall.
Formal Elements for Dance Moves
Line: Serr uses line in her piece to mimic movement and give the impression that the dancers
in the piece are moving. Seer does it in such a way that it plays on your imagination, when I
see this piece I imagine what happens after what Serr shows us, I tend to imagine the figures
continuing the dance.
Dominance: In the piece on the left Serr gives dominance to the figure on top by painting the
dancing scene as almost a violent struggle. Dance, mainly ballet, is seen as a delicate art, and
by portraying it in this manner Serr captures the curiosity of viewer.

Dance Works By Jane Serr

Painting acquired from Jan Serrs website
(janserr.com)
JAMES ENSOR
Title: Self-Portrait with Mask
Media: Oil paints on canvas
Size: 80 x 120 cm
Year: 1899

First Impressions:
Ensors painting all seem to have a deep meaning and this one is
Self-Portrait with Mask by James
no exception. The artist in the piece seems very serious and the Ensor
mask seem to be made to look like real people. The artist could Picture acquired from
be trying to provide some critique about society. wikiart.org

This underlying meaning technique on a rather mundane piece,

also seems to be used in many of Serrs pieces.
CULTURAL CONTEXT FOR SELF-PORTRAIT WITH MASK
During the 1890s and 1900s, when this piece was created, Belgian society was very much
about image and fitting into society. However, Ensor was someone who had a hard time
fitting in which can explain why in the painting he seems to be painted differently than the
mask. Hes the only one that seems to show genuine face expressions, free of make up
covering the features of the mask. Also it can explain why he seems to be taller than the
mask and he sticks out, catching the viewers attention.
The way this piece expresses the social commentary reminds me of the first piece of my
Owners of the World Series (block print), the way I made the man in the crown stand tall
over all the other figures in order to make him stand out.
Ensor bases his pieces on his surroundings and on issues in society, and on his culture. Serr
on the other hand uses her interest and the nature around her home, the Midwest.

Self-Portrait with
Mask by James
Ensor
Picture acquired
from wikiart.org
FUNCTION AND PURPOSE FOR SELF-PORTRAIT WITH
MASK
Ensor, wanted to provide social commentary into the elitist centered society in
the late 1800's.
Ensor was said to have a hard time fitting into the common society in 1800s
Belgium. Many painters are known for having problems with fitting into
society because of the way they challenge social norms. For example, he uses
the mask to represent appearances that aren't real, people in that society
would most likely find that judgement insulting.
While the fact that Ensors body stands taller than the other figures in the
piece may be for artistic effect, it can also be a symbol for his failure to fit into
common society. Also, the face expression he has seems uncomfortable,
which further shows how he felt in society. Self-Portrait with Mask by James
Ensor
Picture acquired from
wikiart.org
MEDIA FOR SELF-PORTRAIT WITH MASK
This piece is part of the symbolist art period.
This explain why he uses the mask to represent many aspects of
society.
The use of oil paints in this piece makes the mask look more plastic and
add to the illusion that they're fake. Portrait of the Painter
in a Flowered Hat by
His uses of repetition among the masked people make Ensor stand out James Ensor
and catch the attention of the viewer. Picture acquired from
Theartstory.org
Another I noticed about this piece is that he is using the same pose that
he uses in his Portrait of the Painter in a Flowered Hat. This three-
quarter view makes him seem like he is openly confronting the viewer/s.
CHRIST'S ENTRY INTO BRUSSELS IN 1889
Title: Christ's Entry into Brussels in 1889
Media: Oil paints on canvas
Size: 431 x 253 cm
Year: 1888
Christs Entry Into Brussels in 1989 by James Ensor
Picture acquired from wikiart.org
First Impressions:
Similar to his other piece this piece includes a
crowd of people wearing masks.
Even though Christ, through the title is made
to be the main character in the piece, he is
hard to see and there is simply his aura in the
back of the crowd.
CULTURAL CONTEXT FOR CHRIST'S ENTRANCE INTO
BRUSSELS IN 1889
In 1888, when he made the piece, Belgium's first beauty pageant was conducted.
This could explain why he used the mask on all the people. If so then this
probably is social commentary on secular things taking the place of Christ in
Belgian society. The sign that says "The Social Lives" is way bigger than the sign
that says "Long Live Jesus, King of Brussels, which supports this. Also all the Photo acquired from
Architecture.com
things going on in the painting take the attention away from Christ who is difficult
to locate in the piece, which is supposed to represent how all these things
distract from Christ.
Leopold the Second, remade Brussels into a modern city with beautiful
architectural landmarks, as can be seen by the Brussels city hall on the right.
However, when Ensor painted this the city was in economic despair which can be
why he painted Brussels as such a chaotic scene.
FUNCTION AND PURPOSE OF CHRIST'S ENTRY INTO
BRUSSELS IN 1889

As in Self Portrait with Mask Ensor looks to provide social

commentary into the vanity of people. However, in this one
if you look closely Ensor painted Christ with his own image.
Which makes you wonder if hes hinting at him being a
martyr. Hes trying to say that he is willing to sacrifice his
image to point out what is wrong in society. Ensors use of a
grotesque realism of the ugly side of society and even
though it was met with harsh criticism he continued to use
it throughout his career. Christs Entry Into Brussels
in 1989 by James Ensor
Picture acquired from
wikiart.org
MEDIA FOR CHRIST'S ENTRANCE INTO BRUSSELS IN
1889
Ensor is a revolutionary of modern painting as shown in this piece. In the front the
faces are detailed but as you get farther back he starts taking a modern approach to
building volume. He flattens the figures in the back, contrary to the front of the piece
where the images seem to be jumping out at you. The crowd in the front is painted
from multiple angles and are very detailed, while the ones in the back are simplistic
and there forms are deconstructed.
Nonetheless, his colors are unsaturated and as unique as ever. He is quoted as saying
My colors are purified, they are integral and personal, and this painting is no
exception of this claim.
Christs Entry
Into Brussels in
1989 by James
Ensor
Picture acquired
from wikiart.org
Formal Elements for Christ's Entry Into Brussels in
1889 and Self-Portrait with Masks
Hue: A pattern that I saw in these two pieces, and in most of Ensor's other pieces is the
constant use of orange, red and green.
Contrast: The fact that Ensor uses these hues, makes it so that when he has a lot of figures,
like in these two pieces, they dont blend together. This draws the attention of the
curiosity of the audience, it makes it so that the audience takes an interest in all or most of
the people in the crowd.

Christs Entry Into Brussels in 1989 by James

Ensor
Picture acquired from wikiart.org

Self-Portrait with Mask

by James Ensor
Picture acquired from
wikiart.org
 Connection to my work: Cultural Context

Both my piece and While Serr uses aspects of a culture

Use of culture that the artist grew up Serrs piece focus on the
around as a focus of many of the that choose to join, I in my Orgullo
beauty of society rather Ciego piece, explore rather the
pieces. Serr grew up around classical than the troubles of it.
music and she studied that in college, purely human phenomenon of
Which is exactly what I
and hence many of her pieces revolve try not to do on some passionately embracing a culture
around it. I spent the first 8 years of my piece, but on some that we dont choose to join, and
life in Puerto Rico and so I focus my piece like this I focus were rather just born into.
merely on the beauty of
pieces around it.
society.

Dance Works By Jane Serr

Painting acquired from Jan
Serrs website (janserr.com)
Orgullo Ciego
 Connection to my work: Function and Purpose

Ensor focused on the vanity of society.

While my piece focuses on the greed of
He uses mask on the people in the crowd
Both my piece and the top 1% when it comes to helping the
to show how most people in
Ensors piece target lower 99%. In the recent years, the
1880s/1890s Belgium were only
an undesirable, ugly inequality of wealth has grown, with the
worried about their appearances, which
aspect of our poor getting poorer and the rich getting
is shown by the fact that in 1888 the first
societies. Both richer and that's what I wanted to portray.
beauty pageant was held in Belgium.
Ensor uses Christ to hint at the fact that target the fact that
he saw Christ as the solution to the some people put
problems he saw in the society around physical things over
him. being humane or
caring.

Christ's Entry into Brussels by James Ensor Owners of the World Series
Picture acquired from wikiart.org Piece 1
Formal Elements: Principles of Design/ Elements of Design

Balance: Ensor doesnt worry about

balance, in this piece you can see that
Direction: Both I and
much of the weight is on the right side
Ensor tend to, as you
with the stage. In my piece on the other
can see in these pieces, Tone: On these pieces both I
hand, I try to balance the piece as much as
make the pieces be and Ensor used similar hues,
possible, the vejigantes are in the center
oriented towards the at first glance you see a lot of
of the piece, and the weight on the side is
center of the back of green, orange and red on both
distributed evenly because both the
the piece. The street in pieces. However, upon further
building are identical in everything but
my piece closes inspection you begin to notice
color.
towards the middle of that while the basic color is the
the horizon, and same, Ensor uses a darker tone
Ensor's crowd has a of the same color, while I use a
similar composition vibrant tone of most of the
colors I use.

Christs Entry Into Brussels in

1989 by James Ensor One painting in my
Picture acquired from wikiart.org tryptic Borinquen
Formal Elements: Elements of Design/ Composition

Contrast: Serr has a very basic contrast, Line: Serr uses lines in a way
which is black vs. white, and its a Composition: Both my that isnt synonymous with
contrast between the background and piece and Serrs piece painting, not only does she
the focus of the piece that aids with have a very simple not use conventional paint
keeping the focus on the objects of the composition, a plain application tools, but she also
piece. I on the other hand, have a more colored background paints this piece as if she were
elaborate contrast. Theres a contrast that doesnt take sketching. She adds the
between the background and the focus, attention away from strokes around the figures to
because the green is vibrant and the red the objects in the show movement and action. I
and blue are a darker tone. But theres piece. Also, the objects do the same thing in mine,
also a contrast in the mask itself, the of the piece are but we just use different
red and blue contrast each other within centered in the piece elements to do it and we
the mask providing and the weight is achieve different types of
a sense of action symmetrical. action.
within the mask and
makes the piece more
interesting.

Dance Works By Jane Serr One painting in my tryptic

Painting acquired from Jan
Serrs website (janserr.com) Borinquen
 Connection to my Work: Media
James Ensor: Christs Entry into
Jane Serr: Dance Moves Similarities to my Work
Brussels in 1889 & Self Portrait
with Mask

Ensor, as time went on, switched from

Serr used newspaper clipping to In some pieces, because of the nature of
plain backgrounds, to elaborate filled
apply the ink to the paper, which is the mediums, I use a two color piece.
canvases, yet still manages to maintain
unconventional, but just by looking For example, for block prints and dry
his ability to make the focus of the
at it you cant tell. points, I keep just the black ink and
piece stand out, and grab your
Serr, in this pieces, and in her other white paper, while I could color it, I think
attention.
pieces, paints in a sketch style. it would take away from the focus of the
Serr, utilizes a small number of piece. For example, in the piece below 1883
colors in her pieces, in most of her color might take away from the dark,
pieces she paints in a minimalistic chaotic feel that I want in the piece.
hue selection. 1890s
Dance Works
By Jane Serr
Painting
acquired
from Jan
Serrs
website Owners of the World Series
(janserr.com) Piece 1