Tobias burning the fish's liver and heart, while Raphael drives the wicked spirit away thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Tobias burning the fish's liver and heart, while Raphael drives the wicked spirit away

Panel
ca. 1600 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This panel shows a scene from the Old Testament story of Tobias and the Angel. Here Tobias is burning the liver and heart of a fish to drive away the demon that had killed all seven previous husbands of his future wife Sarah. The Archangel Raphael uses his sword to drive the demon away.

It illustrates one of the new techniques for decorating glass that were introduced in the mid 16th century. Glassmakers used paints known as 'enamels' to paint directly onto the glass, similar to painting onto a canvas. The colours were produced by adding metallic oxides to a ground glass (frit) mixture. The resulting wide colour range included the delicate pinks, yellows, greens, reds and purples shown here.

Christoph Murer (1558-1614) was a distinguished Swiss glass painter. He produced numerous designs for stained glass windows, including a series based on Tobias and the Angel that includes this panel.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTobias burning the fish's liver and heart, while Raphael drives the wicked spirit away (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Stained glass
Brief description
Panel of clear and coloured glass painted with enamels and silver stain. Depicting an event from the Book of Tobit (Raphael drives the demon away). Swiss, painted by Lorenz Lingg, early 17th century
Physical description
Panel depicting Tobias burning the fish's liver and heart, while Raphael drives the wicked spirit away. Above, an inscription. Below, a shield and inscription "GEORG MU...URGER ZUM SCHOFFEL ERWOLT AO 16.." Slightly restored. On the left of the lower inscription a piece of contemporary Dutch glass (a woman holding a brass pot) is inserted.
Dimensions
  • Height: 35.5cm (Note: unframed)
  • Width: 24.0cm
Credit line
Purchased with funds from the Murray Bequest
Production
Designed by Murer but probably executed in South Germany, perhaps Ulm.
Subjects depicted
Literary reference<font -u>Book of Tobit</font>
Summary
This panel shows a scene from the Old Testament story of Tobias and the Angel. Here Tobias is burning the liver and heart of a fish to drive away the demon that had killed all seven previous husbands of his future wife Sarah. The Archangel Raphael uses his sword to drive the demon away.

It illustrates one of the new techniques for decorating glass that were introduced in the mid 16th century. Glassmakers used paints known as 'enamels' to paint directly onto the glass, similar to painting onto a canvas. The colours were produced by adding metallic oxides to a ground glass (frit) mixture. The resulting wide colour range included the delicate pinks, yellows, greens, reds and purples shown here.

Christoph Murer (1558-1614) was a distinguished Swiss glass painter. He produced numerous designs for stained glass windows, including a series based on Tobias and the Angel that includes this panel.
Collection
Accession number
C.566-1921

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Record createdJuly 16, 2002
Record URL
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