Veronese School, 17th century, Tobias and the Angel

Veronese school, 17th century

Tobias and the Angel

Oil on slate, 26 x 37 cm

With frame, 29,5 x 39,5 cm

The biblical story of Tobias and the angel has inspired many painters over the centuries: little Tobias found Raphael, who did not, however, have the appearance of an angel, and set out on a journey with him and his little dog. When they reached the Tigris River, Tobias wanted to bathe; however, a fish darted from the water and tried to devour his foot. Urged on by Raphael, Tobias managed to grab the fish, threw it on the bank and took away its heart, liver and gall, which, according to the angel, were remedies against demons and eye diseases. And in fact, once he returned home, Tobias sprinkled the fish's gall on his father's eyes and he miraculously regained his sight. In this version too, the young man is depicted holding a fish while walking guided by the archangel in a wild environment devoid of any other human presence. Among the most characteristic elements of the subjects of the works of the Veronese school we find carpets with velvety colors, draperies impregnated with intense light, refined embroideries of the edges and precious weaving of the fabrics. We find in the natural elements the typical backgrounds with natural landscapes rich in chromatic shades, such as hills covered with lush vegetation, plant elements and more barren reliefs in the distance. Even the bright and shiny colors are suited to the teachings of the Veronese and therefore also Venetian school, although the chiaroscuro contrasts are here highlighted more in the backlit areas. The extremely vibrant and reflective effect of the painting is certainly enhanced by the support: slate. Painting on marble or slate is rather rare, but very precious in its effects. The rarity of the works painted on stone, at the level of large figurations, comes above all from the weight of the stone material, much greater than that of a wooden panel or a canvas. The use of this support also established itself in Veneto during the 16th century, so much so that even great artists such as Titian and Sebastiano del Piombo attempted to create works on this type of support. An example in the Veronese area can be represented by the Judgement of Solomon by Giovanni Battista Amigazzi, a painter of the Veronese school active between the 16th and 17th centuries; but the trend of painting on slate is also found in the collections of Palazzo Maffei and the Castelvecchio Museum, which contain many examples of painting on slate by Veronese painters.