Italian school; 18th century.

Italian school; 18th century.
“The Healing of Tobias.”
Oil on canvas.
It has flaws.
Measurements: 71 x 95 cm.
This scene depicts one of the best-known episodes from the Book of Tobias: the moment when the young Tobias, following the instructions of the archangel Raphael, applies the gall of a fish to his father’s eyes to restore his sight. Rather than opting for a complex or crowded narrative, the artist focuses all attention on the intimacy of the miracle, reducing the scene to its essential protagonists and thereby reinforcing its human and spiritual dimension.
In the very foreground appears Tobit, depicted in a half-length portrait, with his eyes closed and his hands clasped over his chest in an attitude of acceptance and trust. His figure, leaning slightly toward his son, conveys a profound sense of contemplation. Opposite him stands Tobias, with the youthful appearance typical of the Christian iconographic tradition. Both figures are shown in profile to the viewer, establishing a silent dialogue that constitutes the true emotional center of the work. Behind them emerge two barely sketched male faces observing the scene; one of them is understood to be the archangel Raphael.
The pictorial legacy of the great Italian tradition is evident in this painting through the figures’ solid anatomical construction, particularly noticeable in the rendering of Tobit’s body. The pronounced volume and monumental forms endow the scene with a classical dignity that contrasts with the simplicity of the composition. The theme of Tobias’s healing was widely depicted in 17th- and 18th-century painting due to its powerful symbolism.