Tobias en de engel 1620

Claes Jansz. Visscher etched "Tobias and the Angel," sometime in the first half of the 17th century. This print offers more than just a biblical scene; it provides a glimpse into the social fabric of the Dutch Golden Age. Visscher, working in a newly independent and prosperous Netherlands, blends the sacred with the everyday. We see Tobias and the angel Raphael not in some distant land, but within a familiar Dutch landscape. The dilapidated farmhouse contrasts with the divine protection offered to Tobias, raising questions about wealth, poverty, and faith in Dutch society. To truly understand this work, we need to consider the social conditions that shaped Visscher's vision. Archival records, period literature, and theological texts can shed light on the complex interplay of religious belief, economic realities, and artistic expression in the Netherlands. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context.