Tobias vangt op aanraden van de engel een grote vis 1645 - 1646

Curator: Christoffel van Sichem II created this engraving around 1645-1646. It’s titled "Tobias Catches a Large Fish at the Angel's Recommendation," and it currently resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the stark contrast. The dense linework creates a very dramatic feel for such a small-scale print. There's a real sense of theatricality despite the limited tonal range. Curator: Precisely. This illustrates a moment from the Book of Tobit, a popular subject in the Baroque period. We see Tobias, guided by the angel Raphael, reaching to grab the aforementioned fish. These biblical narratives were used to communicate moral and theological lessons, and this particular episode symbolizes divine guidance and healing. Editor: If we dissect the composition formally, notice how the figures of Tobias and the angel are centrally placed. Their bodies lead your eye right into the narrative's crux: Tobias's hand reaching towards the fish. The landscape, with its dark thicket, really boxes in the actors like figures on a stage. Curator: Absolutely. The engraving technique allows for remarkable detail. Look closely at the rendering of the angel’s wings. Van Sichem masterfully creates a sense of depth using only line and cross-hatching. Consider how such prints circulated – often in books – conveying visual information widely, thereby shaping popular understanding of biblical stories. Editor: But beyond just dissemination of a known story, one has to ponder the function of image. Here, it provides a focus for reflection. Note how even a minor character such as the little camel is rendered lovingly. Even the rocky and wavy landscapes create interesting compositional balance and the contrast adds visual interest and impact to the print. The drama lies within the details. Curator: A fitting assessment. Studying this engraving reminds us how form and content, visuality and religious ideology, have always intertwined within the context of art history. Editor: Indeed. It really underlines the complexities that exist even in what might first seem a relatively simple black and white image.