James Ensor (1860–1949), the Belgian painter, lived most of his long life in Ostend, the city of his birth. During that time he showed a remarkable attachment to his home and the sea. Based on what is known of Ensor's life, his work and his writing, I suggest that his home provided him with a material sanctuary from a rejecting world and that the sea served him as maternal source of consolation and calm. In exploring his attachments to place I have sought to cast some light on one aspect of Ensor's life. At the same time, this exploration draws attention to the profound meanings places may have in our intrapsychic world.