The finest example I have seen, is by Carlo Maratti, in the Vienna Gallery.  St. Joseph is on a couch; Christ is seated near him; and the Virgin stands by with folded hands, in a sad, contemplative attitude.

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I am not aware that the Virgin has ever been introduced into any representation of the temptation or the baptism of our Saviour.  These subjects, so important and so picturesque, are reserved till we enter upon the History of Christ.

THE MARRIAGE AT CANA IN GALILEE.

Ital. Le Nozze di Cana. Fr. Les Noces de Cana. Ger. Die Hochzeit zu Cana.

After his temptation and baptism, the first manifestation of the divine mission and miraculous power of Jesus was at the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee; and those who had devoted themselves to the especial glorification of the Virgin Mother did not forget that it was at her request this first miracle was accomplished:—­that out of her tender and sympathetic commiseration for the apparent want, arose her appeal to him,—­not, indeed, as requiring anything from him, but, looking to him with habitual dependence on his goodness and power.  She simply said, “They have no wine!” He replied, “Woman, what have I to do with thee?  Mine hour is not yet come.”  The term woman, thus used, sounds harsh to us; but in the original is a term of respect.  Nor did Jesus intend any denial to the mother, whom he regarded with dutiful and pious reverence:—­it was merely an intimation that he was not yet entered into the period of miraculous power.  He anticipated it, however, for her sake, and because of her request.  Such is the view taken of this beautiful and dramatic incident by the early theologians; and in the same spirit it has been interpreted by the painters.

The Marriage at Cana appears very seldom in the ancient representations taken from the Gospel.  All the monkish institutions then prevalent discredited marriage; and it is clear that this distinct consecration of the rite by the presence of the Saviour and his mother did not find favour with the early patrons of art.

There is an old Greek tradition, that the Marriage at Cana was that of John the Evangelist.  In the thirteenth century, when the passionate enthusiasm for Mary Magdalene was at its height, it was a popular article of belief, that the Marriage which Jesus graced with his presence was that of John the Evangelist and Mary Magdalene; and that immediately after the wedding feast, St. John and Mary, devoting themselves to an austere and chaste religious life, followed Christ, and ministered to him.