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Maker Once Known; Maerten de Vos (after)
The Departure of the Angel No. 6 in a series of 6: The Story of Tobias Le départ de l'ange; no 6 d?une série de 6 : Le livre de Tobie
n.d. date inconnue

In this, the final print in the series illustrating the Book of Tobit, Tobias has returned home to his parents. Raphael’s departure from Tobit and his family serves as the focal point of the scene. Tobias, Sarah, Tobit and Anna are on their knees thanking the angel for blessing them while the celestial being ascends toward heaven. Tobit and Raphael make eye contact—a detail that serves as evidence that Tobit’s blindness has been cured. The operation that enables Tobit to regain sight is conveyed at the back left of the engraving. A feeble looking Tobit sits in a chair while Tobias applies the gall of the fish he caught in the Tigris River to his father’s eyes. Anna, Sarah and the angel stand nearby and witness the miracle. Here, like in the other prints in the series, the artist chose not to replicate every single detail found in Marten de Vos’s original design. The episode when Tobit and Anna welcome home their son is completely removed from the current composition. As such, this image fails to record one of the more touching moments described in the Book of Tobit.

Maker Once Known; Maerten de Vos (after)
Antwerp, Belgium 1532-Antwerp, Belgium 1603 Antwerp, Belgium 1532-Antwerp, Belgium 1603
The Departure of the Angel No. 6 in a series of 6: The Story of Tobias Le départ de l'ange; no 6 d?une série de 6 : Le livre de Tobie
n.d. date inconnue
Engraving, state 1 of 1 Gravure, état unique
overall: 13.7 cm x 18.4 cm
Purchase, Bader Acquisition Fund, 2010 Achat, Fonds d’acquisition Bader, 2010
53-046.051

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