The Blindness of Tobit: The Larger Plate

The Blindness of Tobit: The Larger Plate is an iconic graphic work by Rembrandt van Rijn, executed in 1651. This highly detailed print exemplifies the artist’s mature mastery of etching combined with drypoint. Produced in the Netherlands during the height of the Dutch Golden Age, the composition demonstrates Rijn’s evolving approach to rendering dramatic, intimate narratives. The careful use of the etching needle provides delicate, controlled lines, while the burr of the drypoint creates rich, deep shadows that lend a unique, velvety depth to the image. This combination distinguishes the larger plate as a technically complex and highly sophisticated iteration of the subject.

The subject matter, drawn from the Apocryphal Book of Tobit, was frequently explored by Rijn, allowing him to investigate themes of piety, vulnerability, and complex domestic relationships. Rijn expertly utilizes shadow and light, a hallmark of his style, to amplify the psychological tension inherent in the scene involving Tobit and his wife, Anna. Though categorized as a print, the highly textural surface created by the drypoint elevates the piece to a painterly level, echoing the dramatic illumination present in Rijn’s major oil studies of the period. As a seminal example of 17th-century graphic arts, this exceptional work resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Because of its historical importance and its place within the history of fine prints, high-quality images of the work are frequently made available through public domain initiatives.