Who painted Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris?

Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris was painted by Johannes van Doetechum the Elder in 1565.

Where can I see Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris?

Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris?

Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris?

Museum-quality prints of Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder , 1565

Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Johannes van Doetechum the Elder. It dates from 1565 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:in margin below image, in plate: Piscem capiunt cuius corede et hepate cacodemone[m], felle uero c[a]ecitatem abigunt; in margin below image, at right, in plate: 3; verso, vertically at upper right, in graphite by a later hand: Dublette, verglichen P-B; verso, lower left, vertically, in graphite by a later hand: Bol, Hans

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1565, this print by Johannes van Doetecum the Elder shows a biblical episode in which Tobias secures a fish from the Tigris River. Executed as a combined etching and engraving on laid paper, the image balances a tranquil river landscape with a foreground figure holding his catch, framed by distant hills, trees, and modest architecture.

Subject & Meaning

The scene illustrates the story from the Book of Tobit, where the young Tobias, guided by the angel Raphael, fishes in the Tigris to obtain a creature whose organs later serve a curative purpose. The composition emphasizes the act of capture as a moment of divine assistance and human perseverance, a theme frequently revisited by Netherlandish artists of the period.

Technique & Style

Doetecum employs fine, intersecting lines to render water, foliage, and stone, while varying the depth of the etched and engraved strokes creates tonal contrast and atmospheric perspective. The use of laid paper adds a subtle texture that enhances the sense of depth, characteristic of late‑Renaissance printmaking in the Low Countries.

History & Provenance

A native of Deventer, Doetecum was active as an engraver‑cartographer before moving to Haarlem in 1578. Known for reproducing Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s genre scenes, he applied similar compositional sensibilities to this religious subject. The print circulated among collectors of devotional imagery in the late sixteenth century, though specific ownership records remain sparse.

Context

During the mid‑1500s, Netherlandish artists often depicted biblical narratives within familiar, everyday settings, merging sacred stories with contemporary landscapes. This approach reflects the broader Renaissance interest in humanizing religious episodes and integrating classical motifs into local visual culture.

Bird Dropping Blinding Tobit, Johannes van Doetechum the Elder

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Artist & collection

Artist

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder

Joannes van Doetecum the Elder (1530 – 1605) was a Dutch engraver-cartographer known for his etched works after genre scenes by Pieter Bruegel the Elder and maps of various cities in the Netherlands.