The blindness of Tobit
Rembrandt Harmensz. Van Rijn (1606-1669)
Ref. 477
Etching with touches of drypoint, 1651, apparently first state (?) (of two), a superb impression, inscribed in ink ‘no. 41’ at lower right
Plate: 16.1 x 12.9 cm
Provenance: Harrods Fine Art, 24 July 1973
Literature: Bartsch 42; cf. Hinterding 2008, no. 29; New Hollstein 265 The subject is from the book of Tobit 11: 5-17 in the Apocrypha. Blind Tobit has heard that his son Tobias is returning from a journey. He gets up and stumbles to the door to open it and welcome him home. His son restores his sight with the gall of a fish – Then Tobit saw his son and threw his arms around him, and he wept and said to him, “I see you, my son, the light of my eyes!”