Artwork
De maaltijd
De maaltijd is an oil painting by the Luminist artist Gustave De Smet. It dates from 1931 and is held in the collection of the Groeningemuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a man and a woman gathered around a table set for a meal, with plates, spoons, and soup marking the everyday ritual of dining.
De maaltijd presents an intimate domestic scene centered on the act of shared eating. The composition depicts a man and a woman gathered around a table set for a meal, with plates, spoons, and soup marking the everyday ritual of dining. A vase holding a bouquet of flowers sits on the table, introducing a domestic still-life accent amid the human figures, while a chair and a window opening onto a house frame the interior space. A painting visible within the room further layers the domestic setting.
The work's iconography, the simple tableware, the modest soup, and the floral arrangement, emphasizes the quiet ordinariness of home life. By pairing a man and a woman at a single table, the scene takes on a symbolic resonance of companionship and shared nourishment, presenting the meal as both a literal subject and a metaphor for togetherness within the modern household.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1931, De maaltijd is an oil painting on canvas by Gustave De Smet. The work measures 133 cm in height and 115.5 cm in width. Visually, the composition depicts an interior scene centered around a meal, featuring a table set with a plate, spoon, and soup.
The setting includes domestic elements such as a chair, a vase holding a flower bouquet, and a window that reveals a house outside. Two figures, a man and a woman, occupy the space, which is further detailed by a hanging painting and other household furnishings.
History & Provenance
Gustave De Smet painted De maaltijd in 1931 as an oil painting. The work measures 133 cm by 115.5 cm and portrays a domestic scene with a table, chairs, plates, and figures seated around it. It was created during a period when De Smet was active in the Belgian art scene, focusing on everyday domestic interiors. The painting entered the collection of the Groeningemuseum, where it remains on display.
The provenance of De maaltijd is straightforward, with no documented changes in ownership prior to its acquisition by the museum. The work was likely commissioned privately given its domestic subject matter and the artist's focus on personal spaces rather than public commissions. Its creation date of 1931 is confirmed by both archival records and the museum's cataloging data.
De maaltijd is held in the collection of the Groeningemuseum. The painting measures 133 by 115.5 cm and was created in 1931. No further details regarding an inventory or accession number, nor any specific exhibition history, are provided by the available sources.
Overview
Created in 1931, De maaltijd is an oil painting by Belgian artist Gustave De Smet. The work presents an intimate interior scene where two figures occupy a modestly furnished room, one seated at a table with a bowl and spoon, the other standing by a window that opens onto a cityscape. A solitary vase with a flower rests on the windowsill, adding a quiet decorative element.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gustave Franciscus De Smet, also known as Gustaaf De Smet and Gust De Smet (21 January 1877 – 8 October 1943) was a Belgian painter and printmaker.
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