How to Read Paintings: Landscape with the Fall of Icarus by Pieter Bruegel
A fascinating retelling of the story of youthful ambition
The artist who made this image, thought to be Pieter Bruegel or one of his followers, has painted an expansive landscape.
In the far distance, there are mountain ranges, towns and cities. In the middle distance, Portuguese-style ships move across a calm sea carrying cargo between trading posts. Up close, a shepherd minds a flock of sheep whilst a farmer ploughs a small stretch of land. The red of the farmer’s shirt stands out boldly against the green-blue tone of the wider painting.
One tiny detail among this array of activity, though easy to miss, ought to catch our eye: in the bottom right-hand corner, notice a pair of legs kicking as they disappear into the water.
These legs belong to the young man from Greek myth named Icarus. He has attempted to fly using wings made from birds’ feathers and wax, but the wings have failed him and he has plunged headlong into the water.
The fall of Icarus is but a tiny detail in Bruegel’s painting but it adds a profound…
