Artwork
Landscape with Tobias and the Angel

Landscape with Tobias and the Angel is an oil painting by Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi. It dates from 1653 and is held in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum.
About this work
Overview
Landscape with Tobias and the Angel, a copper painting created circa 1653 by Italian artist Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi, exemplifies the classical landscape genre popular among Roman patrons. Now part of the Ashmolean Museum's collection, it showcases Grimaldi's signature detailed and structured composition.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a serene natural scene with two figures on a riverbank—a seated and a standing figure with a staff—focused on a fish. This setting, inspired by the biblical story of Tobias and the Angel, conveys a sense of tranquility amidst an idealized landscape with distant buildings.
Technique & Style
Grimaldi's background in fresco and architecture influenced the work's detailed, structured approach. The use of copper as the painting's base imparted a distinctive texture and luminosity. The composition likely employs chiaroscuro, leveraging strong light-dark contrasts to achieve depth and volume.
History & Provenance
Created around 1653, the painting was later acquired by the Ashmolean Museum, where it is currently held. Originally favored by Roman patrons, it reflects Grimaldi's appeal to the Roman art market with his classical landscapes.
Context
Emerging from 17th-century Italian art, this work aligns with the period's penchant for idealized natural scenes and biblical themes. Grimaldi's dual expertise in painting and printmaking also situates the piece within the broader artistic practices of its time.
Legacy
While specific lasting impacts of *Landscape with Tobias and the Angel* on subsequent art movements are not prominently documented, it contributes to the understanding of 17th-century Italian landscape painting and Grimaldi's contribution to the genre.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi (1606 – 28 November 1680) was an Italian painter, draughtsman, printmaker and architect. He was an accomplished fresco painter of classical landscapes which were popular with leading Roman families.

















