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Doetechum, Jan van, the elder; Doetechum, Lucas van (after Hans Bol)
The Homecoming of Tobias; No. 5 in a Series of 6: The Story of Tobias Le retour de Tobie; no 5 d'une série de 6 : Le Livre de Tobie
around 1565 v. 1565

Designed by Hans Bol and executed by Jan and Lucas van Doetechum, The Homecoming of Tobias serves as the fifth plate in a series of six works illustrating the Book of Tobit. The castle that stood across Tobit’s home in the first plate of this series has been replaced by the group of figures and cattle that join Tobias on his return to Nineveh. Further up the dirt path, Sarah is mounted on a horse, while a youthful Raphael points at the cortege behind him. In the lower right corner, Tobias and Tobit hug each other while Anna makes her way out of the house. This scene strays from the biblical account, since chapter eleven of the Book of Tobit (11: 5-10) clearly indicates that Anna sat looking in the direction that her son took at the outset of his journey, and when she saw him return, she rushed out the door to greet Tobias. Meanwhile, her blind husband stumbled to make his way to the doorway. However, in the current print, Tobit and Anna’s roles are reversed. Artists commonly took the liberty to change certain elements of a narrative to underline a particular emotion, and the designer of this work must have felt a connection to the affectionate tie that bonds father and son throughout this biblical story.

Doetechum, Jan van, the elder; Doetechum, Lucas van (after Hans Bol)
Deventer, Netherlands-Deventer, Netherlands 1600; Deventer, Netherlands-Deventer, Netherlands 1584 Deventer, Netherlands-Deventer, Netherlands 1600; Deventer, Netherlands-Deventer, Netherlands 1584
The Homecoming of Tobias; No. 5 in a Series of 6: The Story of Tobias Le retour de Tobie; no 5 d'une série de 6 : Le Livre de Tobie
around 1565 v. 1565
Engraving, state 1 of 1 Gravure, état unique
overall: 23.7 cm x 32.4 cm
Purchase, Bader Acquisition Fund, 2010 Achat, Fonds d’acquisition Bader, 2010
53-046.024

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