King Pest

1895
Etching in black on simili-Japan paper
9.6 x 11.5 cm (4 x 4 ⁵/₈ inches)
Signed in plate lower left: J. Ensor 95; signed and dated in pencil in margin lower right: James Ensor 1895

+32 (0)9 281 11 70

The print "King Pest" is based on a story by Edgar Allen Poe, entitled "King Pest, a tale containing an allegory". The story is about two sailors who leave an inn without paying and are therefore eaten by the evil landlady. During their flight, they end up in a London neighborhood where they end up in a basement where King Pest presides over a meeting. The etching is based on the drawing of the same name by Ensor, created around 1886-1888 (Museum of Fine Arts Ghent, inv. 2002-D).

Antwerp, Museum Plantin-Moretus, invo. no. PK.MP.04939
Ghent, Museum of Fine Arts, inv.no. 1998-B-100
New York, MoMa, inv.no. 140.1960

- Delteil, L., Le Peintre graveur illustré : H. Les, H. de Braekeleer, J. Ensor, vol. XIX (Paris: 1925), no. 100 (ill.).
- Croquez, A., L'Œuvre gravé de James Ensor - Catalogue raisonné (Paris: Maurice Le Garrec, 1935), no. 100 (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. 100 (ill.).
- Elesh, J.N., James Ensor The Complete Graphic Work (The Illustrated Bartsch, vol. 141) (New York: Abaris Books, 1982), no. 102 (ill.).
- Tricot, X., James Ensor. The Complete Prints (Roeselaere: Defiac, 2010), 183, 293, no. 95b (ill.).
- Cooke, L., A. Taevenier et. al., James Ensor. Etchings from the collection of 'Gemeentekrediet België' exh. cat. (Brussels: Gemeentekrediet van België, 1978), 51, no. 77 (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), 136 (ill.).