Tobit wordt blind 1645 - 1646

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut print, "Tobit wordt blind," sometime in the early to mid-17th century. It depicts a scene from the Book of Tobit, a deuterocanonical text in the Bible. The image uses visual codes familiar to its time, like the clothing of the figures, to convey a sense of biblical antiquity and domestic drama. Van Sichem, working in the Netherlands, tapped into a cultural moment where religious narratives were often intertwined with daily life. The print's small scale suggests it was likely intended for personal devotion or as an illustration in a book, reflecting the growing literacy and availability of printed materials in the Dutch Golden Age. Its existence speaks to the institutions that shaped artistic production, like publishing houses and the market for religious imagery. Understanding the social and religious context of the time—through texts, sermons, and other visual sources—helps us appreciate how this artwork functioned within its own society and how it continues to speak to us today.