Spilliaert / Ensor at the James Ensor House

James Ensor and Léon Spilliaert were both born in Ostend, and both spent their lives painting it: the sea, the harbour, the beach and the summer bathers who filled it. This exhibition at the James Ensor House hangs the two side by side for the first time in the house where Ensor lived, and looks at how the city shaped them and their reputations.

The contrast is the point. Ensor tends to analyse and pile on detail, Spilliaert to reduce a scene to a few shapes and a mood. Beyond the seascapes, the show also covers satire, humour and religious themes. The exhibition room is the last stop of a visit to the house and visitor centre, so allow an hour to an hour and a half.

If you have already seen the house, you can buy an exhibition-only ticket at the desk without booking a slot. Guided evening visits for adults run on 20 October, 23 November and 17 December 2026. Closed on Mondays outside the school holidays.