LOT 0376

Painted Wooden Icon with Tobias and the Angel

RUSSIA, 19TH CENTURY A.D.

14 1/8 x 11 3/8 in. (1.7 kg, 36 x 29 cm).

Rectangular board with mounting bar to reverse; central recess with painted scene of Tobias and angel Raphael in a landscape, city wall to rear; the Archangel dressed in a blue long sleeved tunica talaris, and wrapped in a red chlamys, the wings, shoes and the embroidery of the tunic’s cuffs in gold, his left hand raised with his finger pointing up to the sky; Tobias dressed in a short light green chiton with gold embroidery, red trousers and gold boots.

Acquired on the UK art market.
Private collection, London, UK.

Cf. for the Renaissance prototype of this icon Francesco Bottinghini, The Three Archangels with Tobias, circa 1470, Galleria degli Uffizi, Firenze, inv.no. ID 00285858.

The icon represents the well known biblical episode of Tobias (Book of Tobit), who, assisted by the Archangel Raphael, went to Ecbatana to meet his cousin Sarah. Raphael told the boy Tobias to catch a fish and to remove its organs, which when burnt were able to drive out the Demon Asmodeus.