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Comical Repast (Banquet of the Starved)

James Ensor Belgian
ca. 1917–18
Not on view
The current title of this painting reflects the two names it was given during Ensor’s lifetime. Scholars have interpreted the enigmatic scene as a critique of the German occupation of Belgium during World War I, which the artist experienced firsthand. The grouping around the table evokes the Last Supper, but Christ and the Apostles are replaced by ill-behaved, grotesque, and masked figures—some of Ensor’s favorite motifs. Their meager meal, including insects and a raw onion, may evoke the near-famine that Belgians endured. Ensor underscored the theme of mortality by quoting three of his works depicting rowdy skeletons in the background.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Comical Repast (Banquet of the Starved)
  • Artist: James Ensor (Belgian, Ostend 1860–1949 Ostend)
  • Date: ca. 1917–18
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 45 1/2 x 57 1/4 in. (115.6 x 145.4 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Miss Adelaide Milton de Groot (1876-1967), 1967
  • Object Number: 67.187.68
  • Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

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The Good Judges, James Ensor Belgian, Etching; second state of two
The Good Judges
James Ensor
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The Grotesque Musicians, James Ensor Belgian, Etching on zinc; first state; hand-colored with red, blue, green, and yellow watercolor on Arches laid paper
The Grotesque Musicians
James Ensor
1888
Perplexed Masks, James Ensor Belgian, Etching
Perplexed Masks
James Ensor
1904
Skeletons Seeking Warmth, James Ensor Belgian, Etching
Skeletons Seeking Warmth
James Ensor
1895
Cathedral, James Ensor Belgian, Etching; second state
Cathedral
James Ensor
1886

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