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Maker Once Known; Heemskerck, Maerten van (after)
Tobit Refusing to Accept the Kid; No. 2 in a series of 10: The Story of Tobias Tobit refusant d'accepter le chevreau; no 2 d'une série de 10 : Le livre de Tobie
1556 1556

This engraving serves as the second plate in a series of ten prints produced by an unknown artist after designs by Maerten van Heemskerck illustrating the Book of Tobit. At centre, Anna stands beside her seated husband with a young goat under her left arm. The goat is on its hind legs and has its mouth open as it tries to break free from Anna’s grasp. Upon hearing the kid cry, Tobit accuses Anna of stealing the goat. This false accusation prompts Anna’s disgusted expression. Anna received the kid as compensation from one of her employers in return for her spinning. The nature of Anna’s honest labour is alluded to by showing her sitting behind a spinning wheel in the background. Tobit clasps his hands and through this gesture aims to convey penitence. After realizing his mistake, Tobit despairingly prays to God for forgiveness and begs for death (Tobit 3:2-6)—a moment of the narrative captured by the artist on the left side of the image.

Maker Once Known; Heemskerck, Maerten van (after)
Heemskerk, Netherlands 1498-Haarlem, Netherlands 1574 Heemskerk, Netherlands 1498-Haarlem, Netherlands 1574
Tobit Refusing to Accept the Kid; No. 2 in a series of 10: The Story of Tobias Tobit refusant d'accepter le chevreau; no 2 d'une série de 10 : Le livre de Tobie
1556 1556
Engraving, state 1 of 1 Gravure, état unique
overall: 20.1 cm x 24.5 cm
Purchase, Bader Acquisition Fund, 2010 Achat, Fonds d’acquisition Bader, 2010
53-046.031

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