Another depiction of Icarus terrible end. His mighty wings broken. Curious and delicate sea-nymphs lament the young heroes death.
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1. Click player below to start the music. 2. Click the image to dive into the art. 3. Study for six minutes this great piece of art and all the sadness. |
This is one of the most iconic images of the series
For me this is the most dramatic painting in this series. It has a sleight Kitsch factor with the added sea nymphs, but they also contribute to the loss of vitality and sexuality of another brave soul lost to the gene pool.
I love Draper’s intricate painting of the wings - the biggest wings in all paintings in this collection.
Overall there is always the problem of confusing Icarus with an fallen angel. The idea of winged messengers from the gods is not an Christian invention, but we all associate the myth of fallen angels with such scenes. I have seen this painting (ab)used once in a Christian blog … ah, the pagan irony …
More? Herbert Draper’s entry @ Art Renewal and the tiny Wikipedia entry
Part of the Art Motive Series: "The Story of Daedalus and Icarus"