The Angel Leaving the Family of Tobias

The Angel Leaving the Family of Tobias by Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn), dated 1641, is a masterful etching executed during the height of the Dutch Golden Age. This impression is identified as the third of nine known states, demonstrating the artist’s iterative process in achieving the desired emotional and visual impact. The subject, drawn from the Old Testament Apocrypha (Book of Tobit), captures the dramatic moment of revelation when the Archangel Raphael, having completed his mission to the family, departs and ascends heavenward.

Rembrandt utilizes the etching medium with remarkable psychological intensity. He focuses intense illumination on the family group below, casting the ascending Angel in dramatic light as he breaks through the ceiling beams. The men and women of the family, including the elderly father Tobit and his wife, are shown in stunned, awestruck postures, huddled together in a state of profound gratitude and confusion. This powerful staging emphasizes the contrast between the fleeting presence of the divine and the mortal world left behind.

As a highly sought-after print, this work exemplifies Rembrandt’s prolific output and his ability to convey monumental drama within a small format. The variation across the known states illustrates the artist’s continuous experimentation with composition and tonal quality during the printing process. This significant print is held within the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a crucial piece of 17th-century European graphic art. Because the materials are now centuries old, the original engravings are often available within the public domain, allowing institutions worldwide to share high-quality prints for study and appreciation.