Tobias and the Angel

I see an angel reading a text message.

This painting, the Angel and Tobias (c. 1467) from the studio of Andrea Verrocchio, is considered to contain three of the earliest instances of painting by Leonardo da Vinci’s hand, likely a teenager of fifteen in his early years of apprenticeship. His identifiable light touch is seen in the delicate curls of the dog’s fur and the wayward lock of hair on the boy’s forehead, and his exquisite attention to detail in the fish.

The Angel and Tobias is a composite studio painting by the master, Verrocchio and his assistants. The figures show the awkward anatomy of Verrocchio’s more angular sculptural style. Note his signature right-hand position of the extended crooked baby fingers of both figures.

From the mirror pose of the angel and the boy’s left hand, it appears that the fish may have originally been held by the angel.

Book one of my trilogy, Second Lisa, outlines Leonardo’s apprenticeship years and describes him painting the Tobias alongside Sandro Botticelli.

Leonardo was certainly a man ahead of his time!

Look for my next post. It will feature one of Leonardo’s self-portraits, a dead-ringer for a famous actor. See if you agree.

More information about my novel Second Lisa here