Vitale da Bologna and Workshop, The Miracle at Cana
Circa 1361-60
Fresco
Pomposa Abbey, Codigoro, Italy
The sequence of events is collapsed into a single image, with Mary at the left end of the table telling Jesus of the problem and Jesus responding to her. In the right foreground the servants pour water into the six large vessels, and at the left end of the table the chief steward is tasting the wine. To judge from the gesture of his left hand, he appears to be addressing the bridegroom with the comment on the wine quoted in John 2:10.
The artist has placed nuptial couple, in the center of the composition. Oblivious to the miracle and to the food being offered, they are about to touch their right hands together. Their halos owe to a belief circulating at the time that the bride and groom were Mary Magdalene and John the Evangelist.
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Photographed at the abbey by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.