Veronese Research Part 3, Marriage at Cana

     Veronese's Marriage in Cana was completed in 1563 for the refectory (communal dining room in a religious setting) of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. The piece depicts a story from the New Testament about the 7th miracle performed by Christ. In the story Mary and Christ are invited to a wedding in Cana and as the wine ran out, Jesus ordered his servants to fetch jugs of water which he transformed into wine. I've had the privilege of seeing this piece in person and remember being awestruck by the size and detail of this canvas. At 21'10''x32'6'' it is the largest canvas in the Louvre! It has been hanging there since Napoleon acquired it from Venice in 1797.The pictures don't do the piece justice, but here's a picture anyways.

Marriage at Cana                                                                    San Giorgio Maggiore

  
     The scene is broken down into 3 horizontal areas. The forground contains the feast itself, with Christ and Mary in the center, barely noticeable in the center surrounded by tantalizing dishes of food, animals, and countless vignettes of earthly revelry. The higher terrace, as separated by a balustrade, features more figures engaging in acts of revelry. In the background sits a campanile (bell-tower with or without multiple bells inside) against a vibrant blue sky, as is expected in a Veronese piece.
     For a piece that is meant to be religious in nature, very little emphasis is placed on Christ and Mary. They easily blend into the crowd; only differentiated by slight halos. None of the figures seem to pay much attention, if any, to the miracle that is taking place. Veronese himself can be seen playing a viola, paying no attention to Christ. Perhaps this is his commentary on his position on the importance of religion.
     It seems that Veronese was more interested in painting and decoration than religious messages being elevated in his work. In fact it seems that luxurious materials and indulgent consumption of food and drink is elevated above all else by Veronese's spectacle of color and attention to detail in the ornate clothing and still life depiction of the meal itself.
  


Hartt, Frederick, and David Wilkins. History of Italian Renaissance Art. 7th. London: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.