Tobias's Farewell to the Angel

Biliverti employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing the illuminated figures to emerge from a deep, shadowed backdrop. The contrast of rich, saturated colors against the darkness directs the viewer’s eye toward the central interaction, a hallmark of early Baroque drama and emotional emphasis.

After its creation in the early seventeenth century, the painting entered various private collections before being acquired by the State Hermitage Museum, where it has been displayed as part of the museum’s Italian Baroque holdings.

The work reflects the early Baroque shift toward more naturalistic lighting and dynamic storytelling, moving away from the artificial elegance of late Mannerism. Biliverti’s treatment of a biblical subject aligns with contemporary Counter‑Reformation interests in clear, affective religious imagery.