The Lament for Icarus
1898
Herbert James Draper flips the usual myth on its head here. Instead of showing Icarus flying too close to the sun, he paints the tragic aftermath: the boy's lifeless body washing ashore, his massive, broken wings still attached. Three sea nymphs cradle his fallen form in a dramatic, moody scene that perfectly captures the Victorian obsession with tragic beauty. It's a stunning example of Academic art that turns a classic cautionary tale into a deeply emotional, almost rock-star-like tragedy.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
- Material
- Canvas
Location: Southampton City Art Gallery
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