Moissac - East Side - E12MS30

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  Moissac
East Side
E12MS30

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The Marriage Feast at Cana

On the south side of the capital Jesus stretches his right hand over three globular jugs (IDRINAS for hydrias), standing on the floor. Behind him is his mother (S[ANC]T[A] MARIA). To the left an Apostle holds up an open book. The book, Christ’s hand and the middle jug are arranged in the middle axis of this capital; the scene represents the climax of the miracle. On the narrower west side, in the presence of an Apostle, we see a servant drawing water from the well, which is then transformed into wine: VIN[V]M CANA.
On the north side six guests sit behind a table set for the wedding feast. The bridegroom (ARCITI/CLINVS) and his bride (MVLIER) lift their goblet high. The guests point with their open hand or their index finger to the goblet. An inscription comments on the miracle: I[N] VINO VE[RE] FA[C]TA (the water is “truly transformed into wine”). The architecture of the narrow east side represents either the house of the wedding feast or the town of Cana.
To the text in which John (2:1-11) describes this first miracle of Jesus, a further detail is added here: the disciple with the open book, which announces the fulfilment of Holy Scripture. The sculptor adopts squat proportions for his figures in this capital; their heads are disproportionately large; so too are their hands, expressing what has taken place. And yet he has mastered the art of an accomplished and animated composition. His hand can also be recognized in two neighbouring capitals, in the representations of the Washing of the Feet (E07MS25) and in the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Glutton (E09MS27).

ARCITI CANA VIN[V]M MARIA S[ANC]T[A] IDRINAS inscription apostel Christ wedding feast marriage Cana wine goblet arcitriclinus miracle architecture table feast Virgin CLINVS MVLIER I[N] VINO VE[RE] FA[C]TA