The Fall of Icarus: A Myth Reframed

Pieter Bruegel the Elder's Landscape with the Fall of Icarus reimagines Ovid's Metamorphoses, transforming the myth of Icarus into a meditation on human indifference and folly. This episode unpacks how Bruegel intertwines visual storytelling with contemporary Dutch and Flemish proverbs, reframing Icarus’ tragic fall as a subtle commentary on the world’s disregard for individual suffering. Today’s artwork: Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (c. 1560). Oil on canvas. Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Brussels. ______ New episodes every month. Let's keep in touch! Instagram: @artofhistorypodcast | @matta_of_fact YouTube | Substack: The Fascinator | TikTok Visit Ireland With Me! Email: [e-mail]