Frans Francken the Younger, 1581 Antwerp - 1642, Zug.

Frans Francken the Younger,
1581 Antwerp - 1642, Zug.

THE WEDDING OF CANA
Oil on wood.
40 x 54.5 cm.
In decorative frame.

Christ with a nimbus in a wine-red robe with a crimson cloak stands at the center of this figurative depiction in a hall. According to the Bible, he and his mother and some of his disciples were invited to this wedding when the wine ran out. To help, Christ instructed some servants to draw water and bring these jugs into the house. On the left-hand side of the painting, servants can be seen working at the well. In the center is the moment when Jesus raises his right hand and turns the water into wine. The colorful wedding party with the bride and groom, some of them in splendid attire, are seated at two tables, one around the corner from the other. Three other people on the right-hand side of the table stand out in particular: a scholar with a back view, wearing a gold-embroidered coat and white collar, and a young blonde woman in a bright red dress. Next to her sits an older man with a wide cloak, a broad fur collar and a large red headdress, whose face has the finest physiognomy, so that it could be a self-portrait of the painter. The painting in the upper center of the room, which stands on a stepped pedestal with food, is also striking. It depicts the fall of Adam and Eve and could serve as a warning and admonition for the bride and groom. Masterful, colorful work full of rich details and symbolic interpretations in a high-quality manner.

Annotation:
An almost identical work can be found in the Stadtmuseum Simeonstift in Trier. (1421758) (18))