Daniel and Habakkuk
1462
Woodcut in Die Vier Historien
MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France
Réserve des livres rares, A-1646 (2), 19r
The woodcut illustrates Vulgate Daniel 14:33-38. In Judea, Habakkuk had prepared a bowl of bread and stew for his reapers, but an angel came and told him he must take the food to Daniel in Babylon, where the latter had been placed in a den of lions. Babylon being far away, the angel takes Habakkuk by the hair and flies him there.
In the center of the image we see the angel holding the hair of the prophet, who in turn holds the bowl of bread and stew. On the left is Daniel with the lions. His attitude of prayer corresponds to his words in verse 37, "Thou hast remembered me, O God, and thou hast not forsaken them that love thee."
On the right, King Nebuchadnezzar observes from the ramparts of the city.
As usual, Daniel is pictured as a young person with no beard. He and Habakkuk wear the bowl-style haircuts fashionable in the 15th century.
Read more about images of Daniel.
Read more about images of Habakkuk.
Source: this page at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.