Also known as "The Banquet of the Bean King" or "King Drinks". On January 6, Epiphany is celebrated in Flanders. It is a celebration of food, wine and merriment that is shared with family. The person who finds a bean in his piece of cake gets to be king for the evening. He must also offer a drink to the whole assembly. Jordaens uses this painting to express his distaste for drunkenness with the motto inscribed at the top that translates "Nothing seems more like a madman than a drunkard."
Jordaens often repeated a theme based on a proverb that depicted a wide range of characters of a variety of ages, crowded in a festive scene around a banquet table. These humorous pieces have a sense of coarseness and show a preference for the burlesque, even within the context of religious and mythological subjects. See original: https://bit.ly/2XaxjDZ
Inspired by: Jacob Jordeans - The Bean King
