Tobias en de vis 1679 - 1728

Abraham de Blois created this print, “Tobias en de vis,” during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of immense artistic production and global trade. De Blois portrays a scene from the Book of Tobit, one of the deuterocanonical books of the Bible. Here, the young Tobias is attacked by a large fish while bathing in the Tigris River. Beside him, the angel Raphael, disguised as a human traveler, calmly gestures, ready to assist. Interestingly, this narrative, while ostensibly religious, also reflects the period’s complex relationship with the natural world. The tale underscores human vulnerability in the face of nature’s power. It might even suggest a nascent environmental consciousness, reflecting a world where natural resources were increasingly exploited for economic gain. This image invites us to reflect on our contemporary moment, where environmental concerns are at the forefront, and where issues of identity and power continue to shape our understanding of the world.