Artwork
Tobias and the angel in a landscape
Tobias and the angel in a landscape is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Eglon van der Neer. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Eglon van der Neer’s *Tobias and the Angel in a Landscape* (1700) is a copper painting that illustrates a biblical episode within an idyllic natural setting. Executed in the early eighteenth century, the work reflects the Rococo taste for graceful compositions and refined scenery, and it is part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays the young Tobias accompanied by the Archangel Raphael, though the angel is implied rather than shown. The three figures stand beside a river, surrounded by verdant trees and distant hills, suggesting a moment of guidance as Tobias follows the unseen companion on his journey.
Technique & Style
Van der Neer employed the smooth surface of copper to achieve delicate detail and luminous colour. Subtle variations of light across foliage and rock create a sense of depth, while the soft, diffused sky and gentle chiaroscuro lend the composition a calm, atmospheric quality characteristic of his later Rococo phase.
History & Provenance
The Dutch artist, active in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, was known for historical and portrait subjects before turning to fashionable figures and pastoral landscapes. This particular work entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings, where it remains on display as an example of his mature style.
Artist & collection
Artist
Eglon van der Neer (1635/36 – 3 May 1703) was a Dutch painter of historical scenes, portraits and elegant, fashionable people, and later of landscapes.
