Gonzalo Sequeira

Wheeler

ARTS 1301

5/16/14

Modes of Analysis Assignment

In Peter Bruegel the Elder’s painting Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, elements of art

such as emphasis, focal point, subordination, and lines to convey his overall message of time

proceeding regardless of events that occur. This oil canvas painting on wood is 29 by 44 inches

(DeWitte, Ralph, and Shields 138). The focal point of a work of art is the main area or region

that the artist wants the viewer to focus on. This can be used in conjunction with the element of

lines, such as implied lines, or contrasting colors in order to place emphasis on a certain part or

region of the painting. Breguel uses lines in his work to direct the attention of the viewer toward

the left corner of the painting. He does this by using the diagonal line of the coast to direct the

viewer’s eye towards the left. In addition, the lines made by the farmer’s plow are somewhat

curved, yet still direct the viewer towards the left. The ship in the painting is also pointed

towards the left. Bruegel repeats this placement with the farmer and old man facing toward the

left, away from the action for which the work is titled. Bruegel uses these to direct attention

away from the event happening, which is Icarus falling from the sky. This exemplifies the use of

subordination, which is the opposite of emphasis and is defines as “drawing attention away from

certain areas” of a piece of art (DeWitte, Ralph, and Shields 138). Bruegel also uses contrasts in

color to contribute to the composition of the painting. Dark colors are used on the left side and

are more detailed than the muted and low saturated colors in the horizon. The viewer’s eye again

gravitates away from the horizon to the more saturated colors in the foreground of the painting.

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Finally, the scale of the painting contributes to the message of Bruegel’s work. Icarus is barely

observable, while the men and ships are much larger and more detailed. All of these elements

convey the message that “life goes on”(DeWitte, Ralph, and Shields 138). This means that time

does not care what happens as it passes, it only moves forward.

A contextual analysis of the work will look at the historical background of the painting,

which will begin with the story in Greek mythology that the painting is depicting. The story is of

Icarus, whose father Daedalus, created two sets of wings to help him and Icarus escape from the

island of Crete. As they were in flight, Icarus’ pride caused him to become careless, and he flew

too close to the sun. Since the wings were made of wax, they started to melt. Icarus then fell into

the sea and drowned. This painting was made in the mid 16th century, a time of great change in

religious beliefs and power. This was the time of Protestant Reformation in 1517 (“The

Reformation – Facts”). Martin Luther and his 95 Theses were made only a couple decades before

the painting was made, which may have influenced the focus of this work. In addition, the Holy

Roman Emperor Charles V passed the Edict of Blood in 1550, which sentenced people to death

for heresy against the Catholic Church (Knox). In a time of mass change, perspective was

needed to allay the fears the common people had. Bruegel’s painting gave another perspective on

the turmoil and revolt occurring around him. The peasants in the painting working in the field

aren’t watching Icarus fall into the ocean; they are focused on what their routine is for the day.

This indifference to what is happening around them emphasizes Bruegel’s message, which is

similar to the Finnish proverb “no plow stands still because a man dies” (DeWitte, Ralph, and

Shields 138). When viewer’s look at the painting, their focus is directed towards the people that

do the same work every day, not the boy with the melted wings plummeting into the ocean. The

out of the ordinary doesn’t get acknowledged in the passage of time. If a peasant during the time

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saw Bruegel’s work, they may be calmed by the fact that life does indeed go on regardless of

what is happening around it. Bruegel exepertly utilizes the focal point of the common man in

addition to other elements of art to emphasize his overall message. Though events may look dark

in the distance, they are paled by the passage of time until it eventually subsides.

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Works Cited

DeWitte, Debra J., Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields. Gateways to Art: Understanding

the Visual Arts. N.p.: Thames & Hudson, 2011. Print.

Knox, Skip. "The Revolt of the Netherlands." Europe in the Age of the Reformation. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 May 2014.

<http://europeanhistory.boisestate.edu/reformation/netherlands/revolt.shtml>.

"The Reformation - Facts and Summary." History. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014.

<http://www.history.com/topics/reformation>.

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