DISCOVERART

Francesco Guardi

Tobias and the Angel

1750s
oil on canvas
56.5 × 75.5 cm (22.2 × 29.7 in)

SEE IT IN PERSON

● On view now — 201 French Neoclassical Painting & Sculpture

Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · verified July 2026

View at clevelandart.org ↗Plan a visit ↗

Discussion

FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

This series of paintings predominantly tells the Old Testament story of Abraham and Isaac, and each of the canvases treats the interaction of humans and angels. In three works, angels appear to Abraham. However, the narrative of Tobias and the Angel comes from an entirely different book of the Bible. The blind Tobit sends his son Tobias off to collect a sum of money in the distant town of Media, with the angel Raphael accompanying him in disguise as a human. This particular work depicts Raphael overseeing Tobias catching a fish, which would later be used to cure his father's blindness.

Source ↗

Be the first to share your thoughts.

Sign in to join the discussion.

Community guidelines

More by Francesco Guardi

The Island of San Michele, VeniceThe Island of San Michele, VeniceFantastic LandscapeFantastic LandscapeThe Grand Canal, VeniceThe Grand Canal, VeniceRegatta on the Grand Canal, near the Rialto Bridge, VeniceRegatta on the Grand Canal, near the Rialto Bridge, VeniceFantastic LandscapeFantastic LandscapeVenice from the Bacino di San MarcoVenice from the Bacino di San MarcoThe Villa Loredan, PaeseThe Villa Loredan, PaeseThe Garden of Palazzo Contarini dal ZaffoThe Garden of Palazzo Contarini dal Zaffo

More like this

Carthusian Monks in a LandscapeAlessandro Magnasco — Carthusian Monks in a LandscapeThe Sacrifice of IsaacGiovanni Domenico Tiepolo — The Sacrifice of IsaacLandscape with Saint Bruno ?Alessandro Magnasco — Landscape with Saint Bruno ?A Shepherd and Washerwomen at a SpringPieter Bodding van Laer — A Shepherd and Washerwomen at a SpHagar and the AngelFrancesco Maffei — Hagar and the AngelSaint JeromeJean-Honoré Fragonard (French, 1732–1806) — Saint JeromeThe Prophet Elijah Awakened in the Desert by an AngelGiovanni Lanfranco — The Prophet Elijah Awakened in the DeseThe Return of the Holy Family to NazarethNicolas Poussin (French, 1594–1665) — The Return of the HolyThe Expulsion of Adam and Eve from ParadiseBenjamin West — The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from ParadiseDebut from Paradise and the Peri (Second Plate)Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836–1904) — Debut from ParadisStudy for "An Apotheosis of a Saint" (for San Bernardino dei Morti, Milan)Sebastiano Ricci (Italian, 1659–1734) — Study for "An ApotheJacob Wrestling with the AngelBartholomeus Breenbergh — Jacob Wrestling with the Angel