Tobiolus Catches the Fish, from The Story of Tobias

Art Historical Context

Georg Pencz’s “Tobiolus Catches the Fish” (1543) illustrates a memorable episode from the biblical Story of Tobias, drawn from the Book of Tobit. In this compact engraving, the young Tobias—guided by the archangel Raphael—lands a large fish from the river, a moment that sets the tale’s redemptive events in motion. At just 2 11/16 by 4 1/16 inches, the print belongs to a narrative series designed to unfold the entire story through successive scenes. As a second-state engraving, the work highlights the precision and expressive potential of the medium during the Northern Renaissance. Fine, controlled lines allow Pencz to convey both the watery setting and the figures’ focused action within a remarkably small space. Such prints were easily circulated, bringing biblical stories to a broader audience beyond church walls or elite collections. Today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, the engraving invites viewers to appreciate how sixteenth-century artists blended storytelling, technical skill, and intimate scale to make sacred narratives vivid and portable.

About the Artist

Georg Pencz · 1490–1550

Comment on works: Religious; History; Portraits