Tales and Pictures

I enjoyed reading Ovid's Daedalus and Icarus tale. I believe that the story among the great tales ever exist. But reading the tale made no sense to me, not until I found out that there is a painting which is related to the tale. I googled for the painting and I found out that there are a few versions of the painting. The painting is inspired by Ovid's writing and I personally feel that the painting tells about the most important part of the tale, which is the Fall of Icarus.

Landscape with the Fall of Icarus; c. 1558; Oil on Canvas; Royal Museum of the Arts, Brussels

This painting tells us that our lives is only one tiny part of the whole world. As described in the painting, the shepherd paid no attention to Icarus drowning in the sea. Although Icarus means a lot to Deadalus as the father, he means nothing to the shepherd. Life does not stop for anyone. More interestingly, Ovid's writing had also influenced W.H Auden's poem, Musee Des Beaux Arts, which tells readers about the scence where Icarus fell from the sky.