The importance of food in Flemish and Dutch art

For my research I didn’t just look at six centuries of cookery texts, I also turned to art. Flemish and Dutch art of the 16th and 17th centuries places food in a central and allegorical place, which created a window into the past. With Pieter Bruegel the Elder as our guide, we witness The Battle between Carnival and Lent, showing the contrasting aspects of the celebrations.

Carnival is the period of self-indulgence that falls the week before the start of the 40-day period of abstinence (Lent) preceding Easter. It culminates on a day known in Dutch as Vastenavond, in German Fastnacht, Mardi Gras in French or Shrove Tuesday in English.