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Sir Peter Paul Rubens (artist) Flemish, 1577 - 1640 Daniel in the Lions' Den, c. 1614/1616 oil on canvas Overall: 224.2 x 330.5 cm (88 1/4 x 130 1/8 in.) framed: 268 x 374.7 x 15.2 cm (105 1/2 x 147 1/2 x 6 in.) Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund 1965.13.1 On View |
The Old Testament Book of Daniel recounts how the biblical hero was condemned to spend the night in the lions' den for worshipping God rather than the Persian king Darius. Depicted here is the moment on the following morning when, after the stone sealing the entrance was rolled away, Daniel was revealed giving thanks to his God for having been brought through the night safely. For theologians, the image of Daniel being freed from the cave symbolized the resurrection of Christ from the sepulcher.
Rubens masterfully combined realism and theatricality in such a way as to produce a strong emotional impact. Several of the lions, for instance, stare directly at the viewer; because of this suggestion that the spectator shares the same space as the lions, he is drawn into the painting and, like Daniel, is menaced by the savage predators. This immediacy is heightened by the fact that the beasts are portrayed full size on the huge canvas and depicted with convincing realism. The lifelike movement of the lions and their superbly rendered fur results from Rubens' direct observation and sketches made in the royal menagerie in Brussels. Complementing this veracity is the dramatic lighting and the exaggerated emotionalism of Daniel's prayerful pose.