GHIRLANDAIO, Domenico
(b. 1449, Firenze, d. 1494, Firenze)

Marriage of Mary (detail)

1486-90
Fresco
Cappella Tornabuoni, Santa Maria Novella, Florence

On the left stand mainly female observers of the ceremony, discussing the event and pointing things out to each other. Two playing girls are running into the picture from the left, their pendent is the boy dressed in blue coming in from the right. His colour correspond to that of Mary, and the colour of the girls to that of Joseph. Ghirlandaio has here created a balanced composition based on colour and symmetry.