Pageantry Of Veronese

The art of decoration and pageantry which had been practiced iv Venice from the time of Gentile Bellini and Carpaccio, reached a culminating point in the magnificent compositions of Paulo Veronese, the greatest of all pageant painters. He has treated the Marriage at Cana (Louvre), the scene of the miracle preformed by Christ of turning water into wine, not as a religious theme, but like a sumptuous Venetian festival with all the display of brocades, silks and satins customary on such occation. The picture painted for the refectory of San Giorgio was begun in 1562 and 972 ducats, furnished with canvas and colors and was provided with food and a cask of wine. Most of the figures in the design are portraits. On the left are Suleiman the Sultan; Charles V; Francis I; Vittoria Colonna and Eleanor of Austria. Grouped round the table in the foreground are Veronese himself playing the viol, Tintoretto accompanying him, and Bassano seated by them. It was on account of this picture, where the figure of Christ is relegated to a minor position in the middle distance, that Veronese was summoned before the Inquisition. He made out a good case and was permitted to resume his work.