Pieter the Elder Bruegel's Landscape with the Fall of Icarus

What is the context?

              Painted by Pieter the Elder Bruegel, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus is based on the Greek myth written by Ovid. The inventor Daedalus creates wings for his son and himself in order to escape the Labyrinth. When they were flying, Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun as their wings were made of wax. However, Icarus, being the stubborn and rebellious son that he is, ignores his father’s advice. Flying as close to the sun as possible, Icarus’s wings melt and he falls to his death into the sea. Bruegel depicts Icarus’s death through his painting. You can see Icarus’s legs in the sea on the bottom right corner as well as feathers flying everywhere. The painting was created around 1590 which is why the farmer and shepherd are the main focus. Those occupations were very important during that time and were considered to be valuable assets to society. The main focus of the painting is the farmer yet because of the title, the viewer is drawn to the drowning boy. This painting was the inspiration of many poems such as William Carlos William’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus and W.H. Auden’s Musée des Beaux-Arts. While the current painting on display in Brussels was thought to be the original, after close inspection it was discovered that it was a very well done copy of Bruegel’s work. No one truly knows where the original painting is.

What is the artist communicating and how?

                On the surface, Bruegel is trying to tell a story. Inspired by the Greek myth, Bruegel depicts the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Ovid’s Metamorphoses describes the day that Icarus died. Daedalus and Icarus are flying through the sky while a plowman, fisherman, and shepherd watched from below. As Icarus fell, the onlookers did nothing to save him and he drowned in the water. Bruegel’s painting is a visual representation of the renowned Greek myth.

After further investigation, this painting is a commentary on society’s lack of concern for pain. Icarus is drowning in the sea, yet the farmer is still plowing and the shepherd is tending to his flock. Humankind does not care about suffering and tends to ignore it. Bruegel depicts this message by his subtle placement of Icarus in the painting. It is by no means the focus of the painting. There is much more going on and it is only at a closer look that you even realize that Icarus is in the painting. Even the title focuses more on the landscape rather than the actual fall. This emphasizes that suffering is always a second thought. We chose to overlook it rather than focus on it.

                In addition, Bruegel shows how important farming was in his day. The focus of the painting is the farmer plowing his crops. That is the first thing that your eyes are drawn to. By placing the farmer in the center and making him much larger than the other figures, Bruegel turns the attention of the farmer rather than Icarus. The emphasis on the farmer depicts that farming was superior to every other thing in the painting, including the death of a young boy.

Why is it beautiful?

                I find this painting beautiful because the message is important even in today’s world. This painting may be from the 1500s or even a copy, but Bruegel is still making a valid point. The middle and upper classes often ignore the problems of the less fortunate. Suffering and death are prominent in the world, but many countries ignore it. The subtle addition of Icarus into this painting makes it a social commentary that should still be considered. We need to be more aware of those around us and their problems. Giving attention to those less fortunate can make a difference between life and death. Bruegel’s message is compelling and essential for all ages, from the 1500s to the present.

            In addition to the important message behind it, the actual painting is indeed beautiful. The blues and greens of the sky and sea blend together to form a cohesive landscape. The vibrant red of the farmer’s shirt makes him stand out among the background. The perspective of the painting is also unique. The audience seems to be looking down on the painting, as if you were in the sky. Whether to make the viewer seem godly or to see it from Daedalus’ perspective in the sky, the viewpoint makes the painting just that much better. You can tell that a lot of thought went into every aspect of this painting. Bruegel was a very skilled painter, and I believe this painting to be some of his best work.