An impressive 19th-century oil on wood panel, this large-scale painting is a faithful copy of Pieter Bruegel the Elder's renowned masterpiece, The Fight Between Carnival and Lent (1559). The original work is a celebrated part of the collection at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The painting depicts a bustling town square filled with a multitude of figures, each engaged in a variety of activities that represent the symbolic clash between two opposing forces. On the left, a portly figure representing Carnival, seated on a beer barrel and armed with a meat skewer, leads a boisterous procession of revelers. On the right, the gaunt figure of Lent, pulled on a wagon by a monk and nun, wields a baker’s peel with two herring on it. The rich and detailed composition is a magnificent panorama of 16th-century life, filled with scenes of everyday existence: beggars and the infirm, children playing games, and pilgrims leaving a church. The artist of this 19th-century copy has masterfully replicated the intricate details and crowded narrative of Bruegel's original, demonstrating a high degree of technical skill. This painting serves as a testament to the enduring influence of Bruegel's work and his genius in capturing the complexities of human life. Oil on wood 116 x 164 cm