The Wedding at Cana

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• cath mazas asked

  hello, do you have an analysis of this werk, the wedding at cana? thank you very much

• Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

  Hi Catherine,
  I found an analysis of this work; "The painting shows the wedding supper at Cana (John 2: 1-19), where guests are seated at an L-shaped dining table awaiting the dishes - a fire-breathing boar's head and a swan - just being carried in. The bride acts as the centerpiece with the groom and Mary next to her. At the other end of the table, Christ is seated under a balcony. In the foreground, six pitchers are being filled with water, after which the contents will miraculously turn into wine. Opposite the bride is an acolyte-like child figure by a gilded chair, the back of which is painted with two saints. He is holding a large chalice, possibly linking the biblical miracle of changing water into wine and the miracle of the Eucharist. The valuables, which are displayed in the background on a buffet placed under a Gothic vault, also appear to be associated with the mass on closer inspection: a piece of bread, wine jugs and oil bottles. Furthermore, there are statues with a typical Christian symbolism, which represent a pelican and St. Christopher, as well as objects with which evil is symbolized as a counterpart." I hope this is helpful to you! Kind regards, Sofie