Veronese has treated this subject twice. Accordingly the picture in
the Louvre must not be confounded with that of the same name in the
Brera museum at Milan. In spite of the value of the latter, it bears
no comparison to the gigantic canvas in the national museum of France.
[Illustration: PLATE V.--THE FAMILY OF DARIUS
(In the National Gallery, London)
This picturesque painting is one of the most curious of all Veronese's
works. It was painted in return for the hospitality which he received
from the Pisani family, and all the figures in it are portraits of
members of the household. Another point worthy of note is the
anachronism of the warriors clad in Roman armour standing before the
kneeling women, who are dressed in the manner of the sixteenth
century.]
This picture of the _Wedding at Cana_ was painted by Veronese for the
refectory of the convent of San Giorgio Maggiore, on the island that
faces the _Riva dei Schiavoni_. It remained there until the time of
Napoleon's Italian Campaign. Bonaparte, who loved the arts without
understanding them, laid profane hands on the great majority of
Italian masterpieces. This painting by Veronese was one of the number,
and found a place in the Louvre. The treaty of 1815 obliged France to
restore these treasures, but the Austrian commissioners, appointed to
accomplish the restitution, became alarmed at the difficulties of
transportation which the _Wedding at Cana_ presented. They accordingly
consented to exchange this canvas for a painting by Le Brun, _The
Feast at the House of the Pharisee_. Veronese's masterpiece remained
in the Louvre, in which it is one of the most flawless gems.
The contract drawn up between Veronese and the Prior of San Giorgio
Maggiore for the execution of this picture has been preserved. The
painter bound himself to deliver it within a year, since the contract
was signed June 6, 1562 and the delivery of the canvas took place of
September 8, 1563. He was to be furnished with canvas and colours, to
be entitled to take his meals at the convent and receive a cask of
wine as additional recompense. As to remuneration for his work, it was
fixed by mutual agreement at 324 ducats, which, in the 16th century,
corresponded to 972 francs in the coin of France. Taking into
consideration the enhanced value of money since that epoch, these 972
francs would represent to-day 7,000 francs. Such is the price which
the greatest artist of his time received for a masterpiece which
to-day commands the admiration of the entire world.
Never did Veronese display so much brilliance, dispense so much
imagination as in the _Wedding at Cana_; never did he show a greater
dexterity in execution; for, however considerable the dimensions of
the canvas may be, it demanded nothing less than genius to distribute
without clash or disproportion the hundred and thirty-two personages
which compose it. A painter less thoroughly sure of himself would have
made a sorry mess of this Feast; Veronese has produced a composition
that is admirable for its balance, in abounding charming details, and
unexpected and picturesque episodes, that do not in the least detract
from the effect of the painting as a whole.
On this picture, as on so many others from the brush of Veronese, one
cannot, as has already been said, pass an equitable judgment, unless
one accepts, without question, the master's method. Veronese had no
more respect for religious tradition than he had for mythological
legend. To take issue with the incongruities and anachronisms of the
_Wedding at Cana_, is voluntarily to debar oneself from discussing it.
If historic exactitude is the one thing that counts in a painting,
then this picture simply does not exist. But happily painting has no
need to justify itself to history; it is amply sufficient to itself,
without borrowing anything from history, and loses nothing of its
beauty if perchance it does violence to history. And of this the
_Wedding at Cana_ furnishes a most eloquent proof.
The composition of this famous picture is well known. Jesus is seated
in the middle focus, at the centre of the table, which is curved on
each side in the form of a horse-shoe. To fill this immense table,
Veronese did not go to the scriptures in search of personages; he drew
them from his surroundings and from his own imagination.
The groom, a handsome, black bearded young man, clad in purple and
gold, is no other than Alphonso d'Avalos, Marquis del Vasto, and the
bride is a portrait of Eleanora of Austria, sister of Charles V., and
Queen of France. On the left, one discovers, with some surprise,
Francis I., Charles V., the Sultan Achmed II., and Queen Mary of
England. Beside the Sultan is a woman richly robed and holding a
tooth-pick; she is Vittoria Colonna, Marchesa di Pescara; then,
further on are monks, cardinals, and personal friends of the artist.
Standing up, clad in brocade and holding a cup in his hand, is
Veronese's brother, Benedetto Caliari. In the centre are a group of
musicians. The octogenarian bending over his viol, is a portrait of
Titian; Bassano is playing the flute; Tintoretto and Veronese himself
draw their bow across the strings of a 'cello.
The success of the _Wedding at Cana_ was triumphal. The great painters
of Venice, contemporaries of Veronese, overwhelmed him with proofs of
their admiration; even morose Tintoretto found some extremely amiable
words in which to praise his rival in fame, and Titian embraced the
happy painter when he chanced to meet him in the city streets.
These praises were merited; the _Wedding at Cana_ is quite truly one
of the most beautiful masterpieces in the world's collection of
paintings.
The renown obtained by this admirable work brought Veronese a host of
orders. The various cities vied with each other to secure him to
decorate their churches or their convents. His first patron, the Prior
Torlioni, ordered a picture from him for the convent of San
Sebastiano, the church of which he had already decorated. Veronese, by
no means ungrateful, painted for him the _Feast at the House of the
Leper_, in 1570; three years later he painted for the dominican
monastery of San Giovanni e Paolo the _Feast at the House of Levi_, to
decorate one side of the refectory. The monks had only a modest sum at
their disposal and tremblingly offered it to the now celebrated
painter; they naïvely added the donation of a few casks of wine.
Veronese exhibited the most complete disinterestedness by accepting
these humble offers of the Prior. This was his third _Feast_.
The fourth, known under the name of the _Feast at the House of Simon
the Pharisee_, was executed for the refectory of the Brotherhood of
Servites. It represents Magdalen on her knees, wiping the feet of
Christ with her hair. This painting now hangs in the Louvre, opposite
the _Wedding at Cana_. It has been the property of France for two
centuries, and the history of its acquisition by Louis XIV is curious
enough to be worth the telling. Colbert, having learned that Spain had
negotiated for the purchase of the _Feast at the House of Simon_,
resolved to go to any lengths in order to acquire it himself, on
behalf of Louis XIV. The French ambassador to Venice, Pierre de Bonzi,
was charged with the negotiations. To address himself directly to the
Servites was impossible, since there was a law in the Venetian
Republic forbidding the sale and exportation of any native works of
art. Bonzi pursued the course of informing the Signoria of his royal
master's wish. The Signoria, desirous of securing the good will of the
great king, without violating her own laws, purchased with public
funds the picture from the Servites, and straightway offered it to
Louis XIV, who returned warm thanks to his "very dear and great
friends, allies and confederates, after having seen this rare and most
perfect original."