JAMES ENSOR (1860-1949)
Le diable dans le beffroi ('The Devil in the Belfry')
signed ENSOR (in the composition, centre right)
Conté crayon and pencil on paper
22,3 x 17,1 cm. (8³⁄₄ x 6³⁄₄ in.)
Executed in 1886-1888

Ernest Rousseau, Sr. (1831-1908), Brussels; acquired directly from the artist.
Ernest Rousseau, Jr. (1860-1949), Brussels; by descent from the above.
Marguerite Klerx Rousseau & Jeanne Demany Rousseau, Brussels; by descent from the above.
The estate of Jeanne Rousseau, until at least circa 1981-1982.
Frans Aerts, Ostend; acquired from the above.
With M. Knoedler, Zurich (with their stock no. 487 K).
Acquired from the above on 16 February 1983; then by descent to the present owners.

P. Haesaerts, James Ensor, London, 1957, no. 226, p. 378 (illustrated p. 148).
F.C. Legrand, Ensor, cet inconnu, Brussels, 1971, no. 76, p. 111.
P. Haesaerts, James Ensor, Brussels, 1973, p. 174 (illustrated p. 76; with incorrect medium).
R. Hoozee, S. Bown-Taevernier & J.F. Heijbroek, James Ensor, Dessins et Estampes, Antwerp, 1987, p.138 (illustrated).
F.C. Legrand, Ensor, cet inconnu, Brussels, 1990, no. 79.
M. Draguet, James Ensor ou la fantasmagorie, Paris, 1999, no. 203, p. 248 (illustrated p. 188).

Brussels, Palais des Beaux-Arts, James Ensor, January - February 1929, nos. 77-99, p. 20 (titled 'Dessin' and dated '1885').
Antwerp, Musée royal des Beaux-Arts, Rétrospective James Ensor, June - August 1951, no. 47, p. 39 (with incorrect medium).
Otterlo, Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller, Ensor, June - July 1961, no. 82, n.p. (illustrated n.p.; dated 'circa 1886'); this exhibition later travelled to Rotterdam, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, August - September 1961.
Basel, Kunsthalle, James Ensor, June - August 1963, no. 146, n.p..
Rome, Palazzo dei Conservatori, Ensor, Dipinti - Disegni - Incisioni, July - August 1981, no. 42, p. 67 (illustrated; with incorrect medium).
Tel-Aviv, Tel Aviv Museum, James Ensor, September - November 1981, no. 57, p. 95 (illustrated p. 64; dated '1888' and with incorrect medium).
Zurich, M. Knoedler, James Ensor, Meisterliche Handzeichnungen, 1880-1888, February - March 1983, no. 23, n.p. (illustrated n.p.).
Zurich, Kunsthaus, James Ensor, May - July 1983, no. 223, pp. 168 & 354 (illustrated p. 169); this exhibition later travelled to Antwerp, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, August - October 1983.
Hamburg, Kunstverein, James Ensor, December 1986 - February 1987, no. 188, p. 173 .
Munich, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, James Ensor, Belgien um 1900, March - May 1989, no. 65, p. 182 (illustrated p. 183; dated '1888').
Paris, Musée du Petit Palais, James Ensor, April - July 1990, no. 130, p. 179 (illustrated; titled 'Le diable dans le clocher' and dated '1888').
Madrid, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, James Ensor, March - May 1996, p. 229 (illustrated).
London, Barbican Art Gallery, James Ensor, Theatre of Masks, September - December 1997, no. 87, n.p. (illustrated n.p.; dated '1888').
Brussels, Musée Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Ensor, September 1999 - February 2000, no. 240, p. 276 (illustrated).
New York, The Drawing Center, Between Street and Mirror, The Drawings of James Ensor, April - July 2001, no. 71, p. 251 (illustrated n.p.).

The Ensor Advisory Committee has confirmed the authenticity of this work.