Heidi, resident:
Ensor had a view of the sea from the studio in his attic room. It served as an inexhaustible source for his paintings, as well as his letters. And like his characters, who rise and fall with the water, his words also undulated. Here are a few excerpts, translated from French. Don’t try and understand them - just let the words rock you.
“In Ostend, in my parents’ shop, I had seen the wavy lines and twisting shapes of beautiful shells, the iridescent glow of mother-of-pearl, the rich hues of fine chinoiserie. And, above all, the vast, constant sea nearby, which made a profound impression on me. Pure sea, muse of energy and fortitude, insatiable drinker of bleeding suns. Yes, I owe a lot to the sea! Ah, I would like to empty it, just as I would like to empty this glass in which the pale gold sparkles.”
“I get melancholic here and would like to live in a large cabin on the beach. I would cover it with mother-of-pearl shells and sleep there, preferably rocked by the waves, with a beautiful, phlegmatic, blonde girl next to me - one with salty flesh.”
“What a beautiful phosphorescent dream: ending in beauty, tenderly embraced by a passionate squid! Located among the cultivated mussels of Ostend and talkative mermaids, I would give myself over to the greedy kisses of the animals of the water falling from the sky, earthly water, seawater...”