A 1651 ink and wash drawing by Harmen ter Borch depicting the biblical journey of Tobias and the Archangel Raphael.

This drawing by Harmen ter Borch, dated 21 November 1651, depicts the biblical narrative of Tobias and the Archangel Raphael. The artist, a member of the notable Ter Borch family of painters from Zwolle, produced this work during his youth. The composition is sparse, focusing on the two figures walking across a barren landscape, accompanied by a small dog that trots ahead. The angel, positioned on the right, gestures towards the horizon, guiding the young Tobias, who follows with a staff and a fish, the latter being a traditional attribute of the story.

The technique employs pen and brown ink with grey wash to define the forms and create subtle shadows. The lines are fluid and direct, reflecting the artist's training within the family studio. The inscription at the top, written by the artist, confirms the date and his role as the inventor of the composition. The work is characteristic of seventeenth-century Dutch sketches, where the focus remains on the clarity of the narrative rather than elaborate background detail. The figures are rendered with a sense of movement, their drapery suggested through simple, effective strokes of wash. This piece offers a glimpse into the early development of a draughtsman who grew up surrounded by the artistic traditions of the Dutch Golden Age. The simplicity of the scene allows the viewer to focus on the interaction between the divine guide and the mortal traveller, a common theme in European art of the period.