Ensor enjoyed being provocative too, combining his love of satire with a pessimistic view of humanity. Throw in the fact that his mother’s shop was often filled with masks and you end up with a whole lot of mask paintings. Ensor was by no means the only artist towards the end of the 19th century to paint this motif. Whether as a decorative element or a mysterious way to conceal someone’s identity. In his work, however, the mask actually reveals its wearer’s true nature. This invention of his found its way into more mask paintings than were done by any other artist. The Intrigue (1890) is one of the finest examples.