Tobit Burying the Dead or Funeral of Phocian n.d.

Andrea di Lione rendered this drawing in pen and brown ink in seventeenth-century Naples. It depicts the act of burying the dead, whether from the Book of Tobit or a reference to the Athenian General Phocion whose body was denied burial in Athens. The drawing is reminiscent of the Neapolitan plague of 1656, a pivotal moment that reshaped the city's social and political landscape. The sketch unveils a society grappling with mortality and moral obligation. The act of burying the dead, often seen as a sacred duty, is visualized here in a raw, unidealized manner, deviating from traditional depictions of heroism or religious piety. The drawing perhaps reflects the social and cultural shifts catalyzed by the plague, prompting a reevaluation of values, community responsibility, and attitudes toward death. Understanding this drawing means studying the religious and social history of plague-ridden Naples. The archives contain untapped insights into these visual codes, providing a crucial context for interpreting the meanings embedded within the artwork.