Spectacular purchase amount for Ensor

On 17 May, two works by James Ensor were sold at Sotheby's in Amsterdam at an auction with modern and contemporary artists. Both brought in significantly more than the appraised auction price.

Ensor's Les Musiciens (The Musicians) from 1892 went under the hammer for 132.750 euro.  The lowest bidding price began at an amount of 12.000 euro. The remarkable purchase price is more than ten-fold that. The drawing with well-developed portraits of three musicians was acquired by an individual European collector after and exciting round of bidding. This work is of importance for research on the Ostend master.

Furthermore, L'Entrée du Christ à Bruxelles (The Entrance of Christ into Brussels) also was auctioned off. The work from 1896 was sold for 36.750 euro. With this work as well, significantly surpassing the lowest suggested bidding price of 10.000 euro.

Other Belgian artists such as Anto-Carte, Gustave de Smet, Pierre Alechinsky and Jan Fabre were also represented by works in the auction. L'Effort (The Effort) by the Belgian painter Anto-Carte was the top piece of the auction at 186.750 euro.