Sarah Waiting for Tobias (c. 1648)

Sarah Waiting for Tobias (c. 1648)
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn 1606 – 1669
oil on canvas (81 × 68 cm) — c. 1648

Tobit 8:4 - And after that they were both shut in together, Tobias rose out of the bed, and said, Sister, arise, and let us pray that God would have pity on us.

Sarah pulls back the bed curtain so she can see what Tobias is up to. He is busy driving out the demon that killed Sarah's previous partners during their wedding nights.

Rembrandt may have had his maid Hendrickje Stoffels pose as Sarah.

Pieter Lastman, a teacher of Rembrandt's, made a panel with the Wedding Night (1611) that shows Sarah in similar pose. The panel may have inspired Rembrandt. As he often did, Rembrandt choose not to show the entire story but to capture one moment, one facial expression.

Rembrandt used a panel for this painting. It was later transferred to canvas.
>>>> Tobit