Landscape with the Fall of Icarus

This masterpiece was long thought to have been painted by Pieter Bruegel, although technical examinations in 1996 showed that this attribution should be regarded as very doubtful. The painting is probably a version of a lost original by Bruegel, probably from the 1560s or soon after. It is in oils whereas Bruegel's other paintings on canvas are in tempera. In Greek mythology, Icarus succeeded in flying, with wings made by his father Daedalus, using feathers secured with wax. But ignoring his father's warnings, Icarus chose to fly too close to the sun. The wax melted and poor, proud Icarus fell into the sea and drowned. You can see his legs in the water just below the ship. The painting may depict humankind's indifference to suffering by highlighting the ordinary events which continue to occur, despite the unobserved death of Icarus.