The gendarmes

The reason for this etching was the fishing uprising against the English fishermen in Ostend in 1887. Two dead fishermen lie on a table, guarded by gendarmes. The etching “De gendarmen” is associated with the painting “The last tribute to the counts of Egmond and Hoorne” by Louis Gallait (Tournai, Museum of Fine Arts), one of the most important icon paintings from Belgian Romanticism. From the painting, Ensor took over the bed with the two lying figures. The placement of the bystanders in the print also seems to refer to the romantic painting. The direct reason for the etching, however, was the fishermen's uprising against the English fishermen in Ostend in 1887. In the print, Ensor clearly sided with the oppressed, and protested vehemently against the terror of the armed gendarmes. Ensor's view is thus diametrically opposed to the somewhat emotionless tribute that Gallait brought to a pinnacle of Dutch history. The print “De gendarmen” refers to the drawing “De staking”, also known as “The massacre of Ostend fishermen”, from 1888 (Antwerp, Royal Museum of Fine Arts, inv. 1888). In 1892 Ensor further elaborated the theme of “De gendarmen” in a painting (Ostend, Museum of Fine Arts, inv. 1950/160).

- Antwerp, Museum Plantin-Moretus, inv. no. PK.MP.09512.
- Ghent, Museum of Fine Arts, inv. no. 1998-B-55-2.

- Delteil, L., Le Peintre graveur illustré : H. Les, H. de Braekeleer, J. Ensor, vol. XIX (Paris: 1925), no. 55 (ill.).
- Croquez, A., L'Œuvre gravé de James Ensor - Catalogue raisonné (Paris: Maurice Le Garrec, 1935), no. 55 (ill.).
- Taevenier, A., Graphic works of James Ensor. Illustrated catalogue of his engravings their critical description and inventary of the plates (Ghent: Erasmus Ledeberg, 1973), no. 55 (ill.). 
- Elesh, J.N., James Ensor The Complete Graphic Work (The Illustrated Bartsch, vol. 141) (New York: Abaris Books, 1982), no. 55 (ill.).
- Tricot, X., James Ensor. The Complete Prints (Roeselaere: Defiac, 2010), 126, 289, no. 60b (ill.).
- Cooke, L., A. Taevenier et. al., James Ensor. Etchings from the collection of 'Gemeentekrediet België' exh. cat. (Brussels: Gemeentekrediet van België, 1978), 34, no. 42 (ill.).
- Becker, J. et.al., James Ensor. Visionär der Moderne. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und das druckgraphische Werk aus der Sammlung Gerard Loobuyck (Albstadt: Galerie Albstadt, 1999), 104 (ill.).