CUADRO VII

MURILLO, The marriage feast at Cana (1672)

Jesus with his mother and his disciples attended to a wedding in Cana. When the wine was finished, Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine.

Murillo used this theme for one of his works with the largest number of characters. The centerpiece of the painting is a big table in which the guests are sitting down, more than twenty people. In the center there is the couple, illuminated by powerful white light directed towards the pitchers foreground, protagonists of the scene. On the left Christ appears at the time of the miracle, accompanied by Mary. The servants are preparing to add water into the vessels while the headwaiter is looking to the guests.

Murillo employs some characters dressed in oriental robes, turbans and a beautiful fabric on the table (in the left).The lighting used by the painter gets a great atmospheric effect, blurring the background characters. Murillo collects all kinds of details, especially in the foreground, creating a personal style of great beauty. The use of color and gestures and expressions is also very important.