The Angel Raphael Takes Leave of Old Tobit and his Son Tobias 1618
pieterlastman
abstract painting
abandoned
possibly oil pastel
derelict
earthy tone
underpainting
painting painterly
wood
watercolour bleed
mixed media
watercolor
"The Angel Raphael Takes Leave of Old Tobit and his Son Tobias" (1618) by Pieter Lastman depicts a scene from the biblical Book of Tobit, set under a moonlit sky. The scene portrays the angel Raphael, who has aided Tobit and his son Tobias, bidding farewell as the two figures walk away. The artwork is characterized by Lastman's use of chiaroscuro, creating a dramatic contrast between light and dark that emphasizes the figures and the surrounding landscape. The composition is dynamic, with the figures and the setting creating a sense of movement and narrative tension. This painting exemplifies Lastman's mastery of history painting and his talent for depicting both the sacred and the secular in a compelling and emotionally charged manner.
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/ When Christian IV decorated his devotional chamber (burnt in 1859) at the Frederiksborg Castle Church, he bought art from several prominent artists of the period. Lastman was one of them. He was famed for his depictions of biblical scenes. According to Book of Tobit, Tobias had to endure many hardships to procure medi¬cine for his blind father Tobit. During his travels Tobias is accompanied by a stranger who reveals himself as the angel Raphael. Lastman depicts the moment after this revelation where Raphael is leaving the earthly realm for the celestial spheres. He says: ‘While you are on this earth, you must praise the Lord God and give him thanks. Now I must go back to him who sent me. Write down everything that has happened to you….’ Lastman’s angel communicates this with his gesture: one arm points down towards the earthly realm while the other shows the way to the heavens.
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Like so many other artists of the day Pieter Lastman went to Rome when his studies were completed. Here, he met artists such as the German painter Adam Elsheimer (1578-1610). Inspired by Elsheimer, Lastman adopted and developed the so-called cabinet pieces, small paintings showing scenes from the Bible, history, or mythology. The painting's story The story of Tobias and his guardian angel, the archangel Raphael, is related in the book of Tobit from the Apocrypha of the Old Testament. It takes place in Ninive, the Assyrian city to which the Israelites had been deported. Tobias faces many trials and tribulations to obtain the medicine he needed for his blind father Tobit. New subject matter As the art theory of the time called for, Lastman made it a point of honour to come up with new subject matter that no other artist had ever depicted. Lastman placed the scene within his own time through the objects used in the still life in the foreground. The silver pitcher in the very elaborate and organic auricular style is by the Dutch silversmith Adam van Vianen (1568/69-1627). He was commissioned to make the piece by the Silversmiths’ Guild in Amsterdam.
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