Artwork
Comical Repast (Banquet of the Starved)
Comical Repast (Banquet of the Starved) is an oil painting by James Ensor. It dates from 1917 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Comical Repast (Banquet of the Starved) is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard medium for James Ensor's easel paintings.
Comical Repast (Banquet of the Starved) is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard medium for James Ensor's easel paintings. The work measures 115.6 by 145.4 centimeters, giving it a horizontal orientation suited to its banquet-room subject. Painted in 1917, the canvas supports a composition populated by figures including men, women, and skeletons gathered in a dining room setting around food, consistent with Ensor's characteristic use of oil to render dense, allegorical interiors.
The Met's holdings record the materials simply as oil paint and canvas, with no further technical notes on condition, handling, or stylistic analysis provided in the available documentation.
History & Provenance
Comical Repast (Banquet of the Starved) was created by James Ensor in 1917, executed in oil paint on canvas. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains held. No further details regarding commission, intermediate ownership, or chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art are documented in the available sources.
Overview
Comical Repast (Banquet of the Starved), painted by James Ensor in 1917, is an oil painting that presents a disquieting and fantastical dining scene. This work exemplifies the Belgian artist's distinctive approach to figuration and narrative. Ensor, a prominent figure in early 20th-century European art, created a visual commentary through this canvas, which is now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a bizarre feast where a gathering of grotesque figures, some adorned with masks or peculiar headwear, congregates around a table laden with bones, fruit, and remnants of food. Their features are contorted and exaggerated, contributing to an unsettling atmosphere. In the background, small images of dancing and musical skeletons further underscore themes of mortality and the macabre, suggesting a satirical commentary on excess or scarcity.
Context
James Ensor, who spent much of his life in Ostend, Belgium, was a pivotal artist whose work bridged Symbolism with the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century. His innovative use of masks, skeletons, and satirical social commentary positioned him as a key precursor to both Expressionism and Surrealism. Ensor was also an active member of Les XX, an influential Belgian artistic group that promoted progressive art.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) was a Belgian painter and printmaker, an important influence on expressionism and surrealism who lived in Ostend for most of his life.
