The Accademia Art Gallery in Venice opens a new exhibition about Venice’s favourite artist Titian on 9th Sept, 2023. The gallery has a wonderful Titian painting of Tobias and the Angel – it’s just gorgeous. I’m hoping they might include the other version of Tobias and the Angel – also by Titian – which is an absolute favourite of mine. In fact I discovered it, by chance, in the Church of Madonna del Orto one stiflingly hot day in July 2020.

I was meandering around Venice trying to escape the heat when I came across the Church of Madonna del’Orto an impressive building with a brick facade, almost Dutch in style and character. The main entrance has a sculpture of St Christopher, carrying a small child, above the elaborate archway.

_{The elegance of the facade and the symmetry of the saints in the Istrian stone niches creates an almost Gothic look to the church of Madonna del’ Orto, Venice}

Inside the church I was wandering from side chapel to side chapel with no particular goal in mind. Then suddenly I was bounced out of my midday heat torpor by a painting that literally stopped me in my tracks. It amazed me – I was transfixed. It was a painting of ‘Tobias and the Angel’ by none other than Titian, probably the most famous 16th century painter in Venice of his time. The painting dating from around 1530 shows Tobias, a young boy, accompanied by an angel. Tobias is carrying a fish and is looking attentively at a winged angel who leads him on his way. The painting is hanging in the small Vendramin Chapel, with no fanfare, no warning, no explanation. That’s Venice – filled to the brim with world class art. In The Louvre this painting would have it’s own personal security guard. In Washington DC it would be behind glass. Here in Venice it is hanging, casually on the wall of a side chapel with a tiny label detailing the artist, date and subject. That’s it, nothing more.

_{Tobias and the Angel by Titian c. 1540}

TOBIAS AND THE ANGEL – The story of Tobias and the Angel is enchanting and easy to remember – it was a very popular happy-ending tale in the days when life was tough and brutal. The story is an ancient one predating Christianity by several hundred years. A young boy called Tobias sets off on a dangerous journey to collect some money owed to his father Tobit. Tobit is blind and urgently needs the money to support his family. So Tobias bravely sets off to a distant land. During the journey he is accompanied by his loyal dog and a stranger who helps him, later the stranger is revealed to be an angel. At one point Tobias and the angel have to cross the River Tigris, Tobias loses his footing as he wades through the water. He struggles to regain his balance in the surging torrent of the river. However he survives and in the struggle also manages to catch a fish! The two travellers gut and eat the fish, but at the angel’s request they keep the heart, liver and gall bladder and store them in a special dish (usually depicted being carried in the right hand of the angel). Later in the story Tobias uses the gall bladder to cure his father’s blindness. The liver and heart are burned to rid Sarah, the future wife of Tobias, of the demons that haunt her. So all in all a happy ending. In some versions of the story the angel announces his true identity to Tobias – in others he is simply a friendly travelling companion.

A FEW YEARS LATER – Titian painted ‘Tobias and the Angel’ again. This time the painting was much more lavish and colourful. The angel was upgraded to the Archangel Raphael, the fish and the dog are still included in the scene. However the richness of the clothing of both angel and boy imply affluence and success in a way that was completely missing a decade earlier. The story of ‘Tobias and the Angel‘ was so popular in the 16th century that there are many different versions of the same subject to consider. The combination of bravery, angelic presence and a happy ending seems to have been the perfect combination of ingredients for a 16th century audience. A story of bravery and consistency that ends cheerfully – what could be better. This painting hangs in the Accademia in Venice – it will be a focal point of the Titian show starting in September, 2023.

VERROCCHIO too painted a magical version of ‘Tobias and the Angel’ the canvas is now in the National Gallery in London. It is exquisite, the colours are so rich and lush. It is an absolute feast for the eyes. A very young Leonardo da Vinci worked in Verrocchio’s studio in Florence at that time and some experts have suggested that the dog and fish were actually painted by Leonardo. Certainly the delicate painting of the dog and the movement of his legs and face are very realistic. The fish being held in Tobias’ hand is like a miniature still life. The elegance of the tunics and luxurious fabrics in the picture, with idyllic countryside in the distance suggests a magical, fairy tale journey. This reminds me of an ancient version of the best-selling book ‘The Alchemist’ where the young hero Santiago sets out on a life changing journey to find treasure – only to discover that everything he was seeking was right in front of him.

BACK TO VENICE and I’m struck by the importance of angels in our collective imagination. The whimsical and appealing idea that angels offer us wisdom, guidance, healing and friendship. In the Church of the Gesuiti, just round the corner from my morning stroll, there’s another painting about angels transporting souls to the heavens. This painting is by Jacopo Palma il Giovane (1548-1628) and for me it is filled with empathy, emotion and joy. The Guardian Angel is instructing the young boy, who gives the angel his full attention, it could easily be Tobias. At first I can’t see a boy and a fish but it doesn’t matter, my imagination fills in the rest. Perhaps I have to look more carefully. In the background other angels are transporting souls to the heavens. The scene is happy, joyful and kind. There’s a dynamic element to the painting, a level of optimism that is compelling and endearing. Looking again at the painting I suddenly notice on the left hand side of the painting, in the middle background is Tobias with his fish and his angel.

Titian was a master painter, he was able to paint religious scenes, portraits, altar pieces and pastoral works with equal aplomb. His use of colour was legendary, especially Titian red for which he is still recognised today, five hundred years later. He was recognised as an exceptional talent as a young man. He then went on to have a long and successful career. This combination of talent, versatility and a prolific output of work over a working life of more than fifty years secured his position as the most important Venetian painter of the 16th century. On his death he was buried in the Frari Church, the same church where his magnificent ‘Assumption of the Virgin’ painted in 1516-18 can still be admired.

Notes:

• The painter Tiziano Vecellio, was born around 1488 in Pieve di Cadore, in the foot hills of the Alps to the north of Venice. Known in English as Titian, he was an Italian painter of the Renaissance, considered the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. During his lifetime he was often called da Cadore meaning ‘from Cadore’.
• He was born around 1488-90 (date unknown), he died in Venice in 1576.
• He is buried in the Frari church where his exceptional painting above the main altar ‘The Assumption of the Virgin Mary’ is regarded as one of the finest paintings in the city.
• His career began in Venice around 1508 at a time when the city was dominated by painters like Giorgione, Giovanni Bellini and Gentile Bellini.
• This new exhibition at The Accademia examines Titian as he started out in Venice in 1508:
• www.gallerieaccademia.it/settembre-2023-tiziano-1508-agli-esordi-di-una-luminosa-carriera

Thanks:

• For more on Tobias and the Angel and angels in general – I’d like to suggest my article on Saints and Angels in Venice… or various ‘saintly articles’ on my blog www.greyhoundtrainers.com
• The restoration of ‘Tobias and the Angel’ in the Church of Madonna del’ Orto was undertaken by Save Venice based in New York – for more information: Save Venice – Tobias and the Angel, Madonna del’Orto during restoration the date of the painting was discussed by experts and is now considered to be around 1540.

• With special thanks to @luisella_romeo a wonderful and erudite Venice Tour Guide for mentioning this exciting Titian Exhibition and inspiring me to write this article.

_{Sacred and Profane Love,1514, Galleria Borghese, Rome – Titian}

LASTLY – eagle-eyed followers of my blog will notice that parts of this article first appeared under the title ‘Saints and Angels in Venice‘ – all I can say is, thank you for noticing!

30th July 2023