ABSTRACT
One of the most famous paintings by Pieter Brueghel is the Combat of Carnival and Lent, in which a fat man astride a barrel jousts with a thin old woman seated on a chair. The literal meaning of this painting is obvious enough, for mock battles between these two figures were a common part of Shrovetide festivities (above, p. 264). About other possible meanings of the paintings there has been more debate. I am tempted to interpret ‘Carnival’, who belongs to the tavern side of the picture, as a symbol of traditional popular culture, and ‘Lent’, who belongs to the church side, as the clergy, who at that time (1559) were trying to reform or suppress many popular festivities. The reasons for this interpretation should become apparent in the course of the chapter.1
