Who painted The Lament for Icarus?
The Lament for Icarus was painted by Herbert James Draper, a British artist who focused mainly on ancient Greek mythological subjects in the 1890s.
Questions about The Lament for Icarus
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was The Lament for Icarus purchased and how?
The Lament for Icarus was purchased in 1898 from the Royal Academy exhibition through the Chantrey Bequest, a public fund for acquiring modern art bequeathed by Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey.
What award did The Lament for Icarus win at the Exposition Universelle?
The Lament for Icarus was awarded the gold medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 in Paris.
Who were the models used in The Lament for Icarus?
Draper employed four professional models for the composition: Ethel Gurden, Ethel Warwick, Florence Bird, and Luigi di Luca.
Why does Icarus still have his wings in Draper's painting?
Unlike the classical myth where the wax melted and Icarus fell with bare arms, Draper painted the wings fully intact and based on a bird-of-paradise pattern. Scholars interpret this as a deliberate choice to create a more symbolic, romantic, and elegant image.
How does The Lament for Icarus differ from Frederic Leighton's depiction of Icarus?
Leighton painted Icarus in 1869 showing the preparations for flight, while Draper depicted the tragic ending of the myth. Draper did, however, adopt Leighton's compositional method of depicting separate figures within the same canvas.