May 30, 1640

Peter Paul Rubens (June 28, 1577 to May 30, 1640) the famous Flemish painter, was revered in his own time and ours. His Daniel in the Lions Den was on a canvas so huge, there is a line down the center where two canvases are joined together. Here is a preliminary sketch.






We learned about the possible models for this very realistic portrayal here.

By the 17th century menageries were an historically honored prerogative of the rich. Archduke Albert VII had one in Ghent (now in Belgium). There lived Flandria and Brabantia, two lions whose names have come down in history, and it is possible Rubens used one of them as a model, though there were other lions also.

The finished, huge, canvas, about 12 feet by 9, is dated to 1614 through 1616.