Daniel is thanking God for keeping him safe through a frightful night surrounded by lions and by human remains from souls who were not so blessed.The lion in the foreground is the only animal in the painting
with a look of immanent and dangerous intent on its face. The lion bearing his teeth, near Daniel's head,
could be roaring but more likely it is yawning and stretching after waking up.
Daniel's face is tilted back and up. This is a very difficult angle for an artist to paint a realistic face, but Rubens is masterful at the foreshortening. Daniel's whole body is tense down to his toes and his fingers are intertwined in a tight grip of praying hands. Painting intertwined fingers is another technically difficult feat for an artist. Look closely and see how confusing iintertwined fingers visually appear.