Tobias zalft de ogen van zijn vader met gal van de vis 1771 - 1776

Editor: This is "Tobias zalft de ogen van zijn vader met gal van de vis," an engraving from between 1771 and 1776. The stark contrasts in light and shadow make it quite dramatic. It depicts a biblical scene and looks quite staged, in my opinion. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Ah, yes, "Tobias Healing His Father's Eyes." The staged quality, as you mentioned, isn’t necessarily a flaw but a product of its time, right? The composition is clearly influenced by Baroque theatricality. Notice how the engraver uses line work to evoke the play of light – almost like Caravaggio translated into black and white. Doesn't it remind you of dramatic presentations of morality plays? Editor: Absolutely, it does! The angel feels very presentational and mannered. And Baroque, in a morality play. Curator: Yes! It really exemplifies that 18th-century fascination with narrative and morality. What strikes me is the attempt to make visible an invisible process. Isn't that the eternal task of art, really? This act of seeing returning…a miraculous event visualized. Editor: That’s a beautiful way to put it – visualizing the invisible. I was so focused on the composition that I didn’t consider the thematic weight of restored sight. Thanks, I'm seeing this in a new light – pun intended! Curator: It's a pleasure to illuminate! Maybe now we can wander together, sharing impressions as they arrive? It's amazing how each artwork carries the echo of its maker and invites our imagination to participate.