The Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp (KMSKA), a major cultural institution in Belgium, houses the ink drawing Youth Orpheus, Inventory No. 2711/40, by James Ensor (1860-1949), one of Belgium's most innovative and influential modern artists.

This drawing depicts Orpheus, the legendary musician and poet from Greek mythology whose enchanting music could charm all living things, even inanimate objects. The Orpheus myth has been a recurring subject in Western art for centuries, symbolising the transcendent power of music and poetry and the artist's unique ability to bridge the mundane and divine realms.

By focusing specifically on the youth of Orpheus, Ensor's work likely depicts the legendary figure before his famous descent to the underworld to retrieve his beloved Eurydice—capturing a period of innocence and potential before tragedy. This approach allows for an exploration of artistic identity and the formative development of creative power.

Ensor's interpretation would reflect his distinctive artistic vision, which often blended traditional subjects with expressionistic and sometimes surreal elements. Known for his phantasmagorical style and psychological intensity, Ensor frequently used traditional or mythological subjects as vehicles for exploring modern existential concerns and his personal artistic philosophy.

The medium of ink drawing, with its emphasis on line and contrast, would have provided Ensor with opportunities for both delicate detail and bold expression, allowing him to render this classical subject with his characteristic combination of technical skill and emotional intensity.

This work represents an important example of how mythological themes continued to inspire artistic innovation throughout the modernist period, with classical figures like Orpheus serving as enduring symbols for exploring the nature of art and the artist's role in society.