ticketsMember | Make a donation

Tobit Burying the Dead

1640s
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 623
In the 1640s, the Neapolitan painter Andrea di Lione visited Rome, where he met Nicolas Poussin and Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, a painter famous for his imaginary architecture and pastoral landscapes. This work’s pronounced classicism—including the careful citation of ancient architecture and its blonde tonality—is indebted to these artists’ influence. The cloaked figure represents the Old Testament character Tobit. A devout Jew, Tobit defied an earthly decree by the local king requiring Jewish people to be buried outside the city walls in favor of divine law concerning respect for the dead.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Tobit Burying the Dead
  • Artist: Andrea di Lione (Italian, Naples 1610–1685 Naples)
  • Date: 1640s
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 50 1/4 x 68 1/2 in. (127.6 x 174 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Gwynne Andrews Fund, 1989
  • Object Number: 1989.225
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Saint Francis, Federico Barocci Italian, Oil on canvas
Saint Francis
Federico Barocci
ca. 1600–1604
Head of an Old Woman, Orazio Borgianni Italian, Oil on canvas
Head of an Old Woman
Orazio Borgianni
after 1610
The Denial of Saint Peter, Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi) Italian, Oil on canvas
The Denial of Saint Peter
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi)
1610
The Capture of Carthage, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Italian, Oil on canvas
The Capture of Carthage
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
1725–29
Piazza San Marco, Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal) Italian, Oil on canvas
Piazza San Marco
Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal)
late 1720s

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.