River Landscape with the Fall of Icarus

c. 1595

Attributed to Simon Novellanus after Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Associated Names
Simon Novellanus

Artist, German, active c. 1560/1590

Joris Hoefnagel

Publisher, Flemish, 1542 - 1600

Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Artist After, Netherlandish, c. 1525/1530 - 1569

This print depicts land and water from an elevated perspective. A mountain or large hill dominates the distant horizon. Numerous sailboats are on the river below, and the river winds towards distant hills and buildings. Above, within a swirl of clouds, two people appear to be falling from the sky above. One of the people has large wings, and the other is surrounded by feathers. At the bottom of the print are several lines of text.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and engraving on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to plate): 27.5 × 33.8 cm (10 13/16 × 13 5/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1964.8.420

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    New Hollstein, no. A5, State i/ii

Artwork history & notes

Bibliography

1908

  • Bastelaer, Rene van. Les estampes de Peter Bruegel l'ancien. Brussels: G. van Oest et Cie, 1908.

1993

  • The New Hollstein Dutch & Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts, 1450-1700. (Pieter Bruegel, Nadine Orenstein author). Rotterdam: Sound & Vision Interactive, 1996-, no. A5, state i/ii.

1996

  • Serebrennikov, Nina Eugenia. "Imitating Nature / Imitiating Bruegel," Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, vol. 47, 1996, pp. 223-246.

Inscriptions

in margin below image, in plate: Inter utrumque vola, medio tutissimus ibis. (Fly in between, in the middle you will go most safely) // Qui fuit ut tutas agitaret Daedalus alas? / Icarus immensas nomine signet aquas? // Nempe quod hic alté demissius ille volabat: / Nam pennas ambo non nabuere suas. (How is it possible that Daedalus could safely move his wings back and forth? [How did it happen that] Icarus gave his name to the vast waters? This was of course because he flew high and the other lower; for neither had feathers of his own.) // Petrus Breugel fec: Romae A[nn]o 1553. / Excud: Houf: cum prae: Caes:

Wikidata ID

Q65512051

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