The Three Archangels and Tobias (detail) by Filippino Lippi (c.1457-1504)
Throughout the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, devotion to the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael occupied a special place in the lives of many people. As this painting by the Florentine artist Filippino Lippi shows, such a devotion often found expression in visual form. In Lippi’s work it is the archangel Raphael who takes centre stage. This emphasis on Raphael and his youthful companion Tobias alludes to an apocryphal book of the Old Testament – the Book of Tobit. The story narrates the adventures of Tobias, the son of a devout Jew Tobit. Instructed by his father who has mysteriously lost his sight, Tobias travels to Medina in order to redeem loans owed to Tobit. Tobias finds a travelling companion in Raphael, who has disguised himself as a mortal. Throughout the often difficult and dangerous journey, Raphael protects the young Tobias in his quest to fulfil his father’s instructions. Tobias’ attribute of a fish alludes to an episode on the journey: when the young man is bathing in the river Tigris, he is suddenly attacked by a giant fish. Miraculously Tobias is saved, and following Raphael’s instructions he removes the heart, liver and gall of the fish. Raphael carries them in the box in his right hand. Thanks to the healing properties of the fish, Tobit’s eyesight will be restored. Lippi focuses the painting on the close relationship between the young Tobias and his supernatural companion. As the angel leads the inexperienced traveller, Raphael’s attentive pose evokes his mission as divine protector. At the left Michael holds his saintly attributes of a sword and orb, while on the right Gabriel holds the lily which identifies him as a participant in the Annunciation. The story resonated especially with merchants, who in the course of business were forced to travel far from home. Families often invoked Tobias and the Archangel Raphael in order to protect husbands, fathers and sons who had embarked upon arduous travels. Paintings like Lippi’s and those of other artists testify to the faith such families placed in these divine protectors and messengers.
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