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Daniel in the Lions' Den (Milan)

Daniel in the Lions' Den (Milan)

Object type Painting
Genre Religious
Date 1610
Dimensions 28.5 x 38.5 cm
Support Copper
Medium Oil
Signature BRUEGHEL 1610
Collectors/patrons Federico Borromeo
Our attribution Jan Brueghel the Elder
Other authorities Ertz 2008-10, #216
Ertz 1979, #72
Location Milan, Italy
Collection Ambrosiana
Accession numbers inv. #62
Tags Horse, Bridge, Castle, Borromeo, Forest, Mountain, River, Burghers, Children, Soldiers, Old Testament
External resources Ambrosiana
Ertz 1979, cat. #72, fig. 128
Pijl in Ambrosiana 2006, #199, pp.95-96
Ertz 2008-10, cat. #216
1618 Milan Donated by Cardinal Borromeo to Ambrosiana
E.A. Honig
July 31, 2012

Very poor copy private collection Antwerp, Jacobs-van Merlen, 1956 (photo RKD). This is not a work from Jan's studio. RKD also has an odd painting sort of inspired by this work but definitely not a copy: collection Herbert Meade-Fetherstonhaugh, Uppark, 1956 as manner of Savery (33.5 x 49).

In 1609 Jan Brueghel sent Borromeo several drawings for this painting and according to Crivelli there once was the date of 1610 on the painting. Jan was paid for the painting in 1611. From Borromeo's Musaeum: "Fece anche un Daniele nella fossa dei leoni. Vi si vedono luccicare le lingue delle bele, che anche per il resto superano quelle del Bassano. È mirabile pure in ciò che vi ha posto una moltitudine confusa di persone, ma di modo che si veda l'ordine nella confusione stessa."

Claudia Insenga
May 5, 2016

Letter to Borromeo,14 May 1609. “VS me schrive di un quadro d’Danielo, con leoni: io commencera de lontano il desseigno et aspettera altro aviso” (Crivelli, pg. 136).

Letter to Borromeo, 27 August 1609. “non habio mandato il disengo del Danielo” (Crivelli, pg. 146).

Letter to Borromeo, March 1610. “io manda le disseigni del Danielo a VS lll.mo” (Crivelli, pg. 148).

Letter to Borromeo, March 1610. “Io me vergoini d’aver tartato tanto per inviare le desseigni del Daniel in laissi de lioni” (Crivelli, pg. 149).

Letter to Borromeo, May 1610. “VS me rimandi le desseigni de Danieli mandato al sig. cardinal” (Crivelli pg. 153).