Tobias en de vis 1641 - 1645

Editor: So, this is Philips Koninck's "Tobias and the Fish," created sometime between 1641 and 1645. It’s an ink drawing on paper. What strikes me most is the ethereal quality of the angel contrasted with Tobias grappling with the fish; it has this other-worldly, storybook feel. What stands out to you? Curator: It is interesting, isn't it? I see a moment caught between the earthly struggle and the divine presence. Think of the story itself – a young man, guided by an angel, encounters a fish whose entrails hold the power to heal. The murky ink Koninck employs, it almost feels like we’re peering through time itself, doesn’t it? Look closely, how does the artist make this sacred meeting seem almost... common? Editor: Common? How so? Curator: Tobias is shown hunched over, very intent on gutting this fish. The angel almost appears to be looking away... slightly detached as though he's seen this all before. The ink rendering further diminishes the drama and imbues it with a sense of...well, matter-of-factness, of something practical being accomplished in concert with God’s plan. Makes you wonder what Koninck intended, doesn’t it? A test of faith perhaps, through everyday encounters? What do you make of the setting itself? Editor: It is strange now that you point it out, it is almost banal, not divine at all. I hadn’t considered that interpretation at all! I see what you mean. It really grounds this miraculous event. Thinking about faith being tested through the mundane adds such an interesting layer. The setting feels secondary to the actions taking place, more symbolic than realistic. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure.