The Marriage at Cana

Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen, Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen, c. 1530 - c. 1532

In this night scene – a novelty in painting at the time – Vermeyen succeeded in creating a dramatic effect. Candlelight plays over the faces and casts dark shadows. For the flames, Vermeyen used gold leaf. He was well ahead of his time: only around 1600 did the nocturn as a genre become more widely known through the Italian artist Caravaggio.

Artwork typepainting
Object numberSK-A-4820
Dimensionssupport: height 66.5 cm x width 85 cm
Physical characteristicsoil on panel

Identification

Title(s)
- The calling of St John during the marriage at Cana
- The Marriage at Cana
Object type
Object number
SK-A-4820
Description
De bruiloft te Kana, ook wel geïnterpreteerd als Christus bij Maria en Martha. Christus met verschillende andere gasten gezeten rond een gedekte tafel verlicht door kaarsen voor een feestmaal. Links een luitspeler.
Part of catalogue
Catalogue reference
- P. Hecht en G. Luyten, '...', Kunstschrift Openbaar Kunstbezit 6 (1986), p. 199, fig. 24
- K. Steinbart, 'Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen", Marburger Jahrbüch fur Kunstwissenschaft 6 (1931) p. 104-106, 108, afb. 21.
- David Van Edwards, 'The Marriage at Cana c.1530', The English Lute Society (2014) nr. 108.
- J. Bruyn, Over de betekenis van het werk van Jan van Scorel omstreeks 1539 voor oudere en jongere tijdgenoten (3), uit: Oud Holland, 98, 1984, 1, pagina pp. 1-12 - afb. 4(zie: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42711144)
- Abigail Bagley-Young, 'Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen's 'Cardinal Erard de la Marck' and 'Holy Family': a diptych reunited', The Burlington Magazine 150 (2008), p. 81, afb. 13.

Creation

Creation
- painter: Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen, Mechelen
- painter: Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Mechelen
- Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen, Brussels
- Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Brussels
Dating
c. 1530 - c. 1532
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Material and technique

Physical description
oil on panel
Material
Dimensions
support: height 66.5 cm x width 85 cm

This work is about

Subject

Acquisition and rights

Acquisition
purchase 1982
Copyright
Public domain
Provenance
…; ? inventory of paintings, Diego Duarte, Amsterdam, 12 July 1682 (‘Een groot stuck van de maeltijt van den vader des huysgesins uit het Evangelio van Joannue Magus, discipel van Raphel Urbin en schilder van Carolus V, fl. 200’;{Transcribed in Muller 1870, p. 398, no. 40} …; the dealer, Annesley Gore, London, on behalf of an English nobleman, 1914;{Note Friedländer on photo, RKD, no. 28155: ‘Gore 1914/Gehört engl. Aristokraten’. Steinbart 1931, pp. 104-05, relates that the painting was offered to the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum, Berlin shortly before World War I.} ...; collection Mrs Hope-Webb (?-1952);{According to the catalogue for the sale, London (Sotheby’s), 9 December 1981} her nephew, Nigal Logan, Chipping Campden, Cotswolds, until 1969;{According to the catalogue for the sale, London (Sotheby’s), 9 December 1981} his sister, Lady St Vincent, Avranche Manor, Jersey;{Note RMA.} her sale, London (Sotheby’s), 9 December 1981, no. 103, £ 22,000, to the dealer Julius Weitzner Gallery, London;{Note RMA.} from whom, £ 25,000 (fl. 118,000) to the museum, 1982;{Provenance reconstructed in Horn 1989, I, p. 88, note 298.}
Remarks
Please note that this provenance was formulated with a special focus on provenance research for the years 1933-45 and could therefore be incomplete. There may be more (mostly earlier) provenance information known in the museum. In case this item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45, the Rijksmuseum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.

Documentation

- P. Hecht en G. Luyten, '...', Kunstschrift Openbaar Kunstbezit 6 (1986), p. 199, fig. 24
- K. Steinbart, 'Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen", Marburger Jahrbüch fur Kunstwissenschaft 6 (1931) p. 104-106, 108, afb. 21.
- David Van Edwards, 'The Marriage at Cana c.1530', The English Lute Society (2014) nr. 108.
- J. Bruyn, Over de betekenis van het werk van Jan van Scorel omstreeks 1539 voor oudere en jongere tijdgenoten (3), uit: Oud Holland, 98, 1984, 1, pagina pp. 1-12 - afb. 4(zie: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42711144)
- Abigail Bagley-Young, 'Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen's 'Cardinal Erard de la Marck' and 'Holy Family': a diptych reunited', The Burlington Magazine 150 (2008), p. 81, afb. 13.

Related objects

Persistent URL

To refer to this object, please use the following persistent URL:
https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200108373