Tobias and the Fish 1465

Benozzo Gozzoli painted this fresco, titled "Tobias and the Fish", to illustrate a scene from the Book of Tobit. The most striking element is the fish leaping from the river, an ancient symbol of transformation and hidden knowledge, here representing divine intervention in human affairs. The angel's gesture, pointing towards Tobias, echoes across centuries of art, signaling guidance and a connection to the divine. We see similar gestures in classical depictions of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, or even in early Christian art, where Christ points towards a path of righteousness. It’s fascinating how the fish motif reappears across cultures, from the Babylonian Oannes, a fish-god imparting wisdom, to the Christian Ichthys symbol. Its persistent presence suggests a deep-seated, perhaps subconscious, human fascination with the mysteries of the deep and their potential to reveal hidden truths. This fresco taps into that ancient symbolic language, creating a powerful resonance that transcends time.