Katia, resident:
James Ensor was born in 1860 and died in 1949, almost 90 years old. This meant that he saw Ostend change completely, in every way possible. During his childhood, it was still a fishing village by the dunes. There was no dyke yet, just the walls and moats of the military ramparts.
It all changed in 1865. That was the year in which Leopold II ascended the Belgian throne. He loved building and the two cities in which he focused on this passion were Brussels and Ostend. Under his approving eye, the old city walls were demolished and a dyke was built in their place. At first it was just a modest footpath, but it soon evolved into a two-lane promenade for the crème de la crème, the fine-fleur of the bourgeoisie, including foreign princes, perfumed baronesses and the Shah of Persia.
Hotels and art nouveau villas soon sprang up. By 1890, our ‘Queen of Seaside Resorts’ had finally established itself among the ranks of fashionable Meccas like Biarritz, Nice and Monte Carlo. That was also the year during which James Ensor painted his ‘Baths’. The lady in red he included is one of the few older characters.She is standing there, looking around. Slightly bewildered. Did it all happen a bit too fast for her?