Icarus: Step 2
It’s not really fair to ask me to just jump into describing a painting at the moment when the paint hits the canvas. There’s often a lot of work that goes on before the fireworks start, so to speak. Icarus, as a matter of fact, is a subject I’ve been tossing around for a long time.
My original idea involved both Icarus and Daedalus, with the son joyfully embracing the moment before flight as his father finishes strapping on the great feathered wings. The current version will feature only Icarus himself, and I’ve chosen instead to portray his moment of true glory–not earth-bound as he is commonly portrayed, but rather in flight at the apex of an upward swoop, wings down to achieve the maximum height from his upward arc, catching the first amplified warmth of the sun’s embrace–experiencing, as it were, the first sense of the realization of his aspirations–and reveling in it. This is the exact moment where the Classical myth departs from my own version. In the Classical version, he falls tragically to his death after the wax holding his feathers together melts from the intensity of the sun‘s heat (silly boy). In my version, he lands safely with a killer tan and goes on to found the first trans-Mediterranean air passenger transportation firm, makes a killing, buys the isle of Crete, and has the Minotaur–now in his gainful employ–kindly escort king Minos to the nearest trireme headed for mainland Greece. Daedalus, of course, retains his fair percentage of the gains and subsequently invents carbonated beer long before those monks in France would ever get the chance to put bubbles in champagne.
And, of course, there is much rejoicing. (Copies of this version are available on pre-order by request…)
One reason for changing the original design was its required monumental nature in a market that is not well inclined (currently) towards monumental subjects. Another is that the more dynamic layout of the present version appealed to me. And yet another is the fact that many small factors allowing for the present incarnation fell into place at just the right time.
And so, perhaps a year or two after the original idea, we arrive where we are now. (This is not to say that I won’t eventually paint my original idea, or a similar design I’ve had that features solely Daedalus, by the way)
I’ve included an early compositional drawing of the Icarus-only design, and you can see by comparing it to the final comp that not a lot ended up being changed. The various scribblings visible on the sketch were added later while I tried to decide what size to make the eventual canvas.
Tags: Damon Denys, Icarus
