Tobias and the Angel

Art Historical Context

Paolo de Matteis (1662–1728), a Neapolitan painter the late Baroque era, captures a tender moment from the biblical Book of Tobit in this drawing, *Tobias and the*. The scene depicts the young Tobias accompanied by the archangel Raphael on their journey, a popular motif in Christian art symbolizing divine guidance, protection, and filial piety. De Matteis, influenced by the grand traditions of Caravaggio and the Carracci, often explored such religious narratives, blending dramatic realism with ethereal grace during Italy's Counter-Reformation period. Executed in pen and brown ink with brush and wash over traces of black chalk, this preparatory study showcases the artist's masterful command of mixed media. The fine lines define expressive figures and flowing drapery, while subtle washes add depth and luminosity, evoking the soft modeling of oil paintings. At just 9-7/8 x 8-1/4 inches, its intimate scale invites close viewing, highlighting de Matteis's skill in conveying emotion through shadow and gesture—a hallmark of Baroque draftsmanship. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Drawings and Prints, this work was a gift from Henry Walters in 1917. It offers visitors a glimpse into the creative process of 18th-century artists, where such sketches bridged imagination and finished masterpieces, underscoring the enduring cultural reverence for angels and youthful innocence in Western art.