Hendrick Goudt, after Adam Elsheimer
Dutch, c. 1583-1648
Tobias and the Angel, c. 1613
Etching and engraving

Breaking with tradition seems effortless in hindsight. When looking at art, understanding and appreciating radical change adds rewarding layers of aesthetic appreciation. Until Hendrik Goudt created his dark engravings early in the 1600s, depictions of dusk and darkness did not exist in print. Painters would relish night and dramatic lighting. Printmakers would depict light and shadow, but not the dark. Goudt breaks the mold. With light compositionally anchored on Tobias, the archangel Raphael, and in the sky, the artist uses his carving tool to meticulously layer line upon line throughout the dense foliage. The resulting darkness that engulfs the figures thus evokes Tobias's Father's blindness, which is about to be cured with the large fish being brought home. Uncertain and hopeful light in the sky casts brightness on the family estate in the background, hinting at the coming miracle of restoration and healing.