User:Fatemeh Naghshvarian/sandbox/daken in ostend

The rooftops of Ostend is an oil on canvas painting by the Flemish expressionist painter James Ensor. This painting is part of the official inventory of Flemish masterpieces. The rooftops of Ostend is in the possession of Royal museum of fine arts Antwerp.

Ensor painted the view of his window from his attic studio three times during his career. The artit's studio was located in the attic of his parental home in Ostend. It is hard to determine which parts of Ostend was depicted in this painting since the city has changed significantly from Ensor's time.

Description
Storm is the main theme of the painting. The stormy clouds covering the city of Ostend attracts the attention and only a small portion of the painting is depicting the roofs and the houses. Ensor's delicate use of dark colours and the scarcity of light depicts a threatening landscape that suggests a near destruction for the city.

This portrayal of Ostend is surprising since Ensor in his writings and notes praises Ostend and his native land.

Source of inspiration
Ensor never travelled afar in search of exotic or extraordinary settings. He was mostly interested in his immediate surroundings. He was able to find enough inspiration for painting in Ostend. He was intrigued by the sea as well as the townscapes of Ostend.