Antique Tile - Antique - 1750-1800

This is an antique Dutch Delft Blue Bible tile depicting Tobias and the angel.

The tile shows the young Tobias traveling with the archangel Raphael (disguised as a traveler, but here traditionally depicted with angel wings) and his faithful dog.

At the bottom of the circle is the inscription "TOB: 6. v. 5.", referring to the apocryphal Bible book Tobit (Tobias), chapter 6, verse 5. In this Bible passage Tobias catches a large fish in the river Tigris, whose gall later heals his father’s blindness.

The tile is executed in the classic blue-and-white with a circular main scene (an edging framed by a double border) and lilies (aries/angle motifs) in the corners.

This type of Bible tiles was produced very frequently from the 17th to the 19th century in Dutch earthenware factories (such as Delft, Makkum or Harlingen) to decorate hearth walls and fireplaces.