Oil on copper depicting the angel Raphael and Tobias with a large fish, the archangel Raphael being Tobias’s protective companion.
The subject is taken from the Bible (Book of Tobit, XI, 7-17). The elderly Tobit, having gone blind, sent his son Tobias to Media to retrieve a sum of money lent to a relative, Gabelus of Rages. Seeking a reliable guide, he encountered a stranger who was in fact the archangel Raphael, who offered to accompany him and bring him back to his father. On the journey, along the Tigris River, a large fish leaped from the water to devour Tobias. The archangel told Tobias, “Open him up, remove the gall, the heart, and the liver, and set them aside, for they are useful remedies.” After marrying Sarah, the daughter of his cousin Raguel, and freeing her from demonic possession, Tobias returned to his father and restored his sight with the animal’s gall, following Raphael’s advice.
The story’s significance lies in its emphasis on faithfulness to God and the trust He places in those in need.
19th century
Italy
Height without frame: 15 cm; with frame: 21 cm
Width without frame: 18 cm; with frame: 25 cm
