The Three Archangels and Tobias (tempera on panel, c.1460-70) by Domenico di Michelino (1417-91)m
The unknown patron of Domenico di Michelino’s painting The Three Archangels and Tobias, like his contemporaries sought comfort in stories from scripture, the lives of the saints and most popular of all images of Christ and his mother the Virgin. Fifteenth-century viewers identified the angels and other divine beings by means of their attributes, i.e. the symbols associated with them. Thus Michael appears at left in armour. The scales hanging from his left arm remind us of his role as “weigher of souls” at the Last Judgement. Next to the warrior angel, Raphael can be recognised by the container and instrument he holds prominently in his right hand. Tobias, the youth depicted with one hand trustingly resting in Raphael’s hand, carries a large fish in the other hand. Thanks to the presence of the fish devout viewers identified this Archangel and his companion from the Old Testament story of Tobit. The popular tale narrates how the young Tobias overcomes obstacles as he and his heavenly guardian Raphael set out to discover a cure for his father Tobit’s blindness. Tobias and Raphael ultimately return successful, for Tobias returns with a cure for his father as well as a wife! Amongst the Archangels, Gabriel’s role in the cosmic drama of humanity’s salvation evokes most dramatically the meaning of these divine messengers in human history. Gabriel carries the lily - symbol of Mary’s faithful acceptance of God’s astounding invitation to a simple peasant girl. These angelic mediators between earth and heaven remind us of our own encounters with messengers of God’s presence in our lives.
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