Weddings are always a festive occasion, the high point usually being the wedding banquet. The formal church ceremony is over, the bride has managed not to trip on her gown, the groom has found the ring, vows have been exchanged and blessings duly given. Now it is time to relax and celebrate. Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins and friends gather around for the wedding feast. Speeches are given and toasts made to the newlyweds' health. Berndtson's painting shows the bride making a speech just as the banquet draws to a close. It is time for dessert, fruit and biscuits – even the wine glasses are almost empty.
Like all formal ceremonies, weddings involve certain rules of etiquette.
Nothing is left to chance. Even the seating is carefully planned: the bride
should be seated at the centre of the table, the groom to her left. If this
were so here then the merry young bride has given her hand to the jolly-looking
gentleman with the napkin tucked under his chin. Happily chuckling to himself,
he seems more interested in the man blowing his nose than in his lovely young
bride. There is no question, however, as to the feelings of the young man
seated to her right. The young bride obviously means the world to him.
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Adolf von Becker : Maternal Joy ; Albert Edelfelt : Queen Bianca Gunnar Berndtson : The Bride's Song Albert Edelfelt : From the Luxembourg Gardens Ville Vallgren : Rose Dance Hugo Simberg : Devotion Tyko Konstantin Sallinen : The Washerwomen Verner Thomé : Bathing Boys
