The Angel Departing from the Family of Tobias - Henry Louis Basan

A detailed etching depicting the biblical scene of the archangel Raphael ascending, based on the original composition by Rembrandt.

This etching depicts the final moment of the biblical narrative concerning Tobias, where the archangel Raphael ascends into the heavens after revealing his divine identity. The composition is based on the original 1641 etching by Rembrandt van Rijn. Henry Louis Basan, a Parisian printmaker, produced this work as part of a collection of restrikes and interpretations of Rembrandt's copper plates. The scene captures the awe of the family as they witness the supernatural departure. Tobias, his father Tobit, and his mother Anna are shown in various states of prayer and submission. The angel is rendered with ethereal, swirling lines that contrast with the more grounded, heavy hatching used to define the domestic interior and the figures of the family.

Basan's technique relies on the tradition of the copperplate etching, where the density of the line work creates a sense of chiaroscuro, a hallmark of the Dutch Golden Age style he sought to preserve. The light source appears to emanate from the departing angel, casting long shadows across the room and illuminating the faces of the kneeling figures. The inclusion of the small dog, a recurring motif in the Tobias story, adds a touch of domestic realism to the miraculous event. This print serves as a record of the technical skill involved in 19th-century printmaking, where the aim was to maintain the integrity of the original composition while adapting it for a new audience. The work is printed on paper that shows the characteristic plate mark of an intaglio process, providing a tactile quality to the fine lines of the etching. It is a study in narrative clarity, focusing on the emotional reaction of the human figures to the divine presence.