The Wedding at Cana

oil on canvas

96 x 127 cm.

In frame 114 x 145 cm.

The painting, which depicts the biblical episode of the Wedding at Cana, is a magnificent variation on the masterpiece by Paolo Veronese (Verona 1528 – Venice 1588), one of the greatest Italian Renaissance painters; the original, dated 1563 and commissioned for the refectory of the Benedictine monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, is now housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris **.

The scene depicts Jesus’ first miracle, as recounted in the Gospel of John: the turning of water into wine during a wedding feast at Cana in Galilee, where he had travelled with some of his disciples and his Mother. At one point, when the wine had run out, he had some jars filled with water drawn from the well brought to him and performed the miracle.

The artist reinterprets this Gospel episode as a sumptuous and teeming banquet in 16th-century Venice, set in the hall of a luxurious palace surrounded by imposing classical architecture. Christ sits at the head of the table, flanked by the Virgin Mary, whilst in the very foreground stands out a group of musicians whom tradition identifies as portraits of the greatest Venetian painters of the time (including Veronese himself, Titian and Tintoretto).

Thanks to its extraordinary fame and rich narrative, the work has been the subject of numerous period replicas, versions, workshop copies and subsequent derivations over the centuries, often destined for private collections to meet the extremely high demand from collectors and aristocrats of the time.

The episode, which opens the sequence of Christ’s miraculous deeds, is transformed into a phantasmagoria of colours, illuminated by brilliant light and the use of an extremely vivid colour palette.

The painting is superbly decorative, of high technical quality and characterised by a luminous composition, with lines emphasised by vigorous brushwork and a rather pronounced play of light and shadow.

Moreover, the production of copies was widespread in Paolo Caliari’s workshop (organised almost as a family business with his brother Benedetto and his sons Carlo and Gabriele), as it was characterised by a practical, artisanal approach rather than by the concept of a ‘school’ in the Renaissance sense.

Our version fits perfectly within this tradition which, as it was intended for the halls of noble palaces or private collections, meant that the copies were drastically reduced in scale, whilst retaining the complex theatrical composition and the vivid colour scheme typical of the Veronese style.

Many contemporary or slightly later replicas were, after all, not slavish copies.

 In some variations, iconographic details were altered, and portraits of the patrons were inserted (in the form of the bride and groom or wedding guests). In our case, the composition is fairly faithful to the original and, above all – a detail that makes it particularly interesting from a collector’s perspective – all of the more than 100 figures are depicted, with the exception of those in the background, some of whom have been omitted.

There are significant versions officially catalogued as ‘Workshop of Paolo Veronese’ in prestigious public collections, such as the canvas at the Ospedale di Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome, or the same subject, housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, which follows the iconography though with a more restrained and minimalist composition.

**

The Wedding at Cana, Paolo Caliari

1563, oil on canvas, 666×990 cm

Louvre Museum, Paris

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

In good condition, with period-appropriate restoration work.

The painting is complete with an attractive frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

We arrange and organise the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, using professional and insured carriers.

It is also possible to view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you to show you our collection of works.

Please contact us for any further information; we’ll be happy to assist you.

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