The fall of Icarus Pieter Brueghel The Elder (1525-1569)

Description of Peter Brueghel’s painting The Fall of Icarus

The mythological background of the painting is known to almost everyone. The author portrayed the ending of this story in a very specific way.

In the foreground, one can see the characters that are quite irrelevant to the main idea of the painting. However, this plowman, who is engaged in his work and does not even pay attention to what is happening, symbolizes the indifference to the fallen Icarus.

The main face of this myth can be seen in the center of the painting, but even here it is worth making an effort to discern his legs, comically sticking out of the water surface. The river is covered in feathers from the broken wings of the hapless Icarus.

Icarus’ father cannot be seen in the painting. However, we can assume that the grief-stricken father flew away from the spot when he noticed the shepherd’s gaze. Icarus crashed into the water surface unnoticed by the common people - no one noticed him. They all go on about their earthly business.

But there is only one being in the picture who cares about Icarus’ fall. The gray partridge, perched on a rocky cliff, is watching him intently. There is a legend associated with this creature, which says that Daedalus killed his nephew after he realized that he was showing far greater ability than the master himself. Envy and the threat of oblivion blinded the master and Daedalus killed the boy. But Perdix did not die falling from the rocks. Merciful Athena took pity on the boy, and he turned into a grey partridge. The little bird gloats, watching the situation: Daedalus’ sin has returned to him. Perdix is avenged.

The entire action of the painting develops against the background of a picturesque landscape painted in the traditions of Dutch painting. The entire painting, however, is painted in calm, low-bright tones. The entire background beyond the horizon is occupied by the sun. It is the sun that caused Icarus to fall. But the sun is not the bright spot of the landscape: however, the whole picture appears to the eye in a haze of dim sunlight.