Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Just try it...maybe you'll like it.


In class on Friday we will discuss how to use small but significant clues to sneak your way into a painting. Please peruse the painting below and respond to the questions that follow it.

Important notes:
  • Please do NOT Google this painting or use any other outside help; I only want to know what this class makes of the painting.  
  • Also, be sure to read others' responses before you post your own and include whether you agree or disagree with some of their interpretations.


1. Which part of the painting is your eye drawn to first?  Why do you think this is?

2. As you let your eyes wander all over the painting (up to down, left to right, corner to corner), which details of the painting do you have questions about?  In other words, if you could ask the artist one question about a specific detail in this painting, what would it be?  Post that question here.

3.  Let your mind attempt to draw together the details and make sense of the painting as a whole.  What do you think this painting is trying to convey to us?  Defend your thinking.

Please remember to proofread your answers carefully before posting.  Your response should reflect your professionalism.

69 comments:

  1. For me personally when I take a gander at this miraculous painting the first thing my eye is drawn to is the man or women in the red shirt. I mainly think this is because he or she is the focal point in this particular painting. His shirt is one of the brightest colors in the painting and he stands out the most in the painting. When I look at this painting one questions I have is about the Atlantis like city off in the distance if I had one question to ask the artist it would be what was the inspiration behind the city off in the distance in the painting. I would ask him this because the city looks like some type of promise land. All around I think that this painting and the artist is trying to show is that there is this holy Atlantic type city off in the distance and it looks like most of the things like ships and sunset in the picture is going toward it.

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    1. After learning about this paintings back round it makes a lot more scene to me. First of all, I now know why the man that is face down in the ocean and in this painting I realized the heavens is the Atlantis like city off in the distance and the earth is the simple men farming.

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  2. 1. The part of the painting that my eye is drawn to first would be the man at the bottom in the red shirt. The red stands out to the contrasting blue shade the rest of the painting has, which is why the eye is drawn to it.
    2. If I could ask the artist one question it would be this: why did he/she make the parts of the painting overlap? The artist uses a slight perspective change in the painting.
    3. The artist is trying to convey that there is a light and a dark side to everything, as well as showing that details matter. The painting is very dark in the right corner while lighter on the left, while there are several small things that stand out in a big way.

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    1. I agree that the man in the orange shirt is the eye drawer.

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    2. The knowledge of the myth has improved my knowledge about "The Fall of Icarus" because it supports my first assumptions. The myth explains why there are a pair of legs in the water, as well as why the painting shifts from dark to light. The legs are supposed to be Icarus after he flew too high and his wings melted. The dark side represents the bad of Icarus falling into the ocean, while the light part represents the freedom that Daedalus and Icarus were trying to escape to. Even though the myth has improved my understanding of the painting, I don't understand why the focal point of the painting is on the farmer with the orange shirt. The farmer may have features that relate to the myth, it does not explain why it is the largest feature of the painting.

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  3. 1. In this painting my eyes were immediately drawn to the man in the red shirt. This would be because he is wearing a brightly colored shirt and this stands out against the darker background.
    2. In this painting I would have to ask the artist why the was a big city in the background. The entire painting is from the old times except for the new looking golden city.
    3. I think the artist is trying to say that it takes a lot of work and travel but if you are willing to put that in one day there will be an reword by going to a nice new place.

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    1. After leaning about this painting "The Fall of Icarus" it now makes a lot more sense. In the ocean is a pair of legs and this is Icarus. Icarus and his dad were imprisoned. They escaped by making a pair of wings. But Icarus flew to close to the sun and ended of dead in the ocean. This helps a little bit but the legs are a very small part of the painting, and the painting was about this.

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  4. The first thing that catches my eye would have to be the guy that is farming. This might be because it is closer to the front than the city and boats in the background. It also stands out because of the color contrast. If I could ask the painter a question it would be where this is and what he is trying to show by this painting. The artist is trying to show farmers and fishermen on the outskirts of a town in the 1500s. There is a sheperd herding sheep. He might have to get there wool or use them in another way. It looks like the town would be a safe and relaxing city. The sun just coming up shows that every one is already up and it might be a busy town too.

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    1. Now that I know what the painting is supposed to be about it makes more sense. The guy in the water thats in the bottom left hand cornor is Icarus. When he flew to high and his wings melted it shows him washed up on the beach. I think that the city in the background was where Icarus and Daedalus lived but also where the Labriynth was that got them thrown in the tower. The rock in the middle is where Icarus and his dad Daedalus were kept. The farm where the guy in the red is would of been the outskirts of the town and where they could have escaped.

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  5. As i first examined this painting, the first thing that my eyes were drawn to was the man in the front with the red shirt. I think that i was drawn to this because he is positioned in the very front and center and he is also the only thing in the painting with a vibrant color. This painting has many elements and it can get very confusing. If I were to ask the painter one thing about this painting, it would have to be why there are so many different scenes in this painting such as the city, farm area, and mountains in the top right. If I had to guess what this painting was about, I would probably say that this work of art is trying to say that the entire world is connected by water because all the different scenes all have one thing in common and it is the fact that they are all connected by the same body of water.

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    1. My understanding of this painting has changed a lot because after learning what the myth and painting is about, I can conclude that the city in the background was probably the city that was home to Daedalus and his son Icarus. The rock in the center was probably the prison that they were being held in and the agricultural area in the front of the painting was the place that they were trying to escape to. The two legs sticking out of the water are the legs of Icarus after the fall to his death.

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  6. The first thing that caught my eye first, was the man in the red shirt. I think that piece caught my eye because the painting is full of darker colors, and the red just pops out. A detail from the painting I have a question about is, what is the man in the blue-grey shirt doing? Also if I had a single question for the artist, I would ask, what is the reason for this painting and what is the guy in the ed shirt doing? I think that the painting is representing 1500's village/ city.

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    1. When looking over the painting "The Fall of Icarus", I can now look at this painting with knowledge or the "story" and be able to make sense of what is going on in the painting. I now understand that Icarus, to me was the person that had their legs flailing in the air as the rest of their body was underneath the surface of the water. However, I am still unable to understand why their was a little castle, cave like structure, and what its purpose in the painting was.

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  7. The first thing that catches my eye in this painting is the body of water and the sail boats anchored in it. I feel this captures my attention because it takes up half of the painting. My question to the artist would be why are there only two people in this painting, it seems like a populated city and it has a port so sailors would be around too. I think this painting is trying to convey an ancient
    Greek city and trying to show all of its attributes. It shows its mountains, the ocean, the city, and the farming. Clearly this is the place to be.

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    1. After being enlightened on this mysterious work of art in fridays class discussion, I have some new found knowledge on the subject. When I first gazed upon this painting I was drawn too the ocean thinking thats what this painting was mainly about. After learning the background information I realized that I wasn't exactly wrong, I was just wasn't looking in the right places. In the bottom left corner are a pair of legs that belong to Icarus the son of Deadalous. After his labyrinth was completed by Theseaus he and his father were sent away to rot in a tower. But being the genius he is Deadalous constructed a pair of wings for him and his son out of pigeon bones. The lept from the tower and were soaring through the clouds when Icarus became full of himself and flew to close to the sun. The sun melted the adhesive holding his wings together and he plummeted towards earth. I think the legs in the water symboize him falling to his death and landing in the water

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  8. The first part of the painting my eye was drawn to was the man in the red shirt because he is in the middle of the painting and the red shirt is brighter than the rest of the painting. I think this happens because the man is in the middle of the picture and I always think that if an object is in the middle of a picture it is the most important. My question I would ask to the artist about this painting is why he has so many different events in the painting, rather then just having the man in the red with his own event. I think that this painting represents the morning of a normal day and shows that everyone starts their day off differently. I enjoy looking at this majestic picture because it shows how the day is yours and what you do with your day is up to you. You can be like the man in the red farming, or the people swimming on the right, or take your boat out early morning for a relaxing time and then the town, I think, represents the late risers of the up-all-nighters. This is a great picture for people to look at because you can decide what you think the picture means and it doesn't have to be one general idea.

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    1. Knowing that the picture has to do with the story we just read, I now understand this painting more clearly. The legs on the side of the painting is Icarus because this is when Icarus falls into the water. I am starting to get why the sun was painted so big because the sun plays a big role in the fall of Icarus because Icarus was too close to the sun and his wings fell off and he died.

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  9. I agree with Alex that this does look like "the place to be" but I can see why there are fewer people. This is so because it is a long way out of the city. Most citizens that reside in this area would not spend their days on the hillside rather then watching theatre and living a joyful life within the cities walls. The first thing that I noticed when looking at this picture was was the sun and reflecting sun in the water. It was hard not to focus on that particular area because of how bright it is. This does raise many questions but if I could ask the creator one it would be; why did you put a mermaid in the water? What the painter is trying to show in this picture is how life was life before technology. He is showing a normal looking farmer and Shepard and fisherman. Living their lives and watching the world go bye.

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    1. After consuming more knowledge about this picture and what the creator was really trying to show. I now realize that none of us students noticed the legs in the water first. When this is the whole reason this masterpiece was created. I would think that the painting would be more focused on Ikarus instead of his surroundings, but that is one of the great things about art.

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  10. My eye is automatically drawn to the mans shirt and I believe it is because it is the brightest part of the painting. I notice in the water behind the ship that there is a women or man with their legs in the air out of water, it looks like they are drowning. Why is this a detail of the painting and did I interpret the imagine incorrectly? It appears to me that the purpose of this painting is to portray an average day in the 1700s' of Spain. I could be wrong about the location but it seems to me that the men are white, and wooden ships were a largely important aspect of the 1700s'.

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    1. In class we learned the greek myth or story of Icarus. This story has helped me understand this painting because I see images in the painting that match up with the story. First off I would like to revisit the odd thing that stuck out to me in the painting, the pair of legs. I believe that the legs sticking out of the water are a match for Icarus in the end of the story when he flies too close to the sun and plummets to the water. It seems too perfect because the man on the bank may resemble his father. Also, I was wrong in what I infered this painting may resemble, as I said it was portraying an average day in Spain in the 1700s. I know now that this painting puts imagery to the words of the greek story about Icarus.

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  11. As I began to dissect this marvelous painting with my eyes, the first object that caught my attention was the castle-like structure in the middle of the body of water. This stood out to me because, when water is normally painted or drawn, it ebbs and flows without interruption or any intrusions. The grayish color also stands out from the blue body of water which is why I gazed at this structure primarily.

    If I could consult the artist of this painting and merely ask just one question, I was ask: Why is there a pair of legs encroaching the body of water below the boat yonder the bottom right corner?

    I personally believe that the artist of this painting is trying to convey an idea of progression. The man/women on the bottom of the painting is plowing his/her field and just above him/her another being is herding their sheep. These farming/vaquero techniques were used by many ancient hunter/gatherers around the world. They used these techniques and they are still used to this day. As you work your way up the painting you notice the castle-like structure and the wooden ships. Years after the first agroecosystem occurred, ships and large buildings made of stone ,clay bricks, and wood began to surface, to fit the needs of the tribes and the people that needed protection and shelter from the ecosystem that they inhabited. Near the top of the picture you can see more modern and advanced networks of cities. As time progresses, we as individuals feel the need to not only conform, but most importantly advance as a society.

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    1. After ascertaining the greek myth about Icarus and the title of the painting, "Fall of Icarus." I now know that the pair of legs was Icarus falling out of the sky. He flew too close the sun causing the glue to melt and the feathers to fall off. The castle-like structure in the middle of the body of water was the prison where Daedalus and his was staying. This also signifies the end of Icarus because the sun is "setting" as Icarus plummeted to his death.

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  12. 1. In this painting, my eye was immediately to the colony in the back ground on the shore. This may be because it made me think of why all the other aspects in the picture are happening. This could be an early settlement, or just a temporary one. It helped me make more sense of things.
    2. One question that came to my mind as I scanned the picture was, What time of day does this take place? It is obviously a sunrise, or sunset. Either one could symbolize something and I'm curious to know what that its.
    3. This painting is easy for me to grasp. I would have to say that it is a new sort of colony forming. The sheep hearder, the ships, the horses, and the actual settlement itself show the time period. And around this time period, was a revolution. Possibly young america. Or even britain setting sail to come and conquer us.

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    1. Now knowing the real truth behind this painting, it has helped me out a little. I can tell that I was way wrong about my thoughts on it. But thats ok! It was interesting to hear about Icarus and the story behind it. I can see things i didn't notice before, such as the pair of legs in the water. And also the time period difference.

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  13. As i first looked at the painting my eyes were drawn to the sun. The sun is small but the lights on the clouds are big and bright. I'm wondering what the hole in the island/castle near the middle is for. I strongly agree with Austin Banks on how this painting is conveying progression. After i read his small piece about it i looked a bit more carefully and i saw the older times near the bottom and then at the top the more modern and populated city.

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    1. After learning about this painting in class I'm seeing this very differently. No longer do i wonder why there are legs in the water, i know that it it Icarus. Also the castle like structure in the middle of the water is were Icarus and his father were locked up and tried to escape.

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  14. My eye is most quickly drawn to the sun set over the scene. I think this pulls my attention to it because it is the brightest and largest part of the portrait. I question why the scene seems to faid as it I look into the depth of the picture. Was this on purpose or did it just happen? If the author intended this I would then question what this was supposed to signify. I also noticed a thing that almost looked like someone falling into the water. I don't understand how that fits in. I think the author created this piece to signify the accomplishments and the metaphoric landmarks of humanity at the time.

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    1. After learning the intriguing story behind this painting, I have only thought of more questions that both I have thought of and thoughts my class mates have thought of. I wonder why Icarus is such a small part of the painting. I also wonder where Icarus's father is. I also noticed a mountain that the light seemed to be emiting from. Could that possibly be the tower Icarus was trapped in?

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  15. As i looked over the painting my eye went automatically to the farmers orange shirt. I believe that i went my eye wen to this cause it is the brightest thing in the painting.
    A question that came to my mind when i wen to this was what is this a mural of? what was its meaning? What was the signification of this? What inspired the artist?
    This painting was easily depicted as a new colony forming and is in the process of its new life.

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    1. after learning the myth of the story this painting has changed in several ways. As i went over the painting again i noticed the small man in the water off to the right this was Icarus. Why does he play such a small part in this painting? I also noticed that the man plowing his field happened to have the legs of a Minotaur. Also was the building in the middle the place where Icarus was trapped?

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  16. 1. My eye is drawn to the man is the orange shirt because it contrasts with the blue water.
    2. The question that I had was why are there people in the water by the boat in the bottom right hand corner?
    3. What conveys in this is that there can be a good side and a bad side to every thing depending on how you view the subject of matter.

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    1. The knowledge that I have gained from class has helped me in a big way. Now I know why the legs are in the water now, it is becasue when Icarus was flying he got to close to the sun and his wings melted and he fell. The good side is that their freedom is coming back to them but the bad side is that Icarus fell in the the water. I have a way better understandin of this now but im still not understanding it to the full extend.

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  17. The first thing that draws my eye to it is the man pulling the cart in the red shirt. I believe that this attracts to me mostly because of the red shirt because it is a bright color. One thing in the painting that i would ask the artist is what is the man in the red shirt doing because his cart is empty yet he still has a horse pulling it? I believe that this painting may show a major shipping and trade place in the earlier times. I believe this because it show some farming and live stock in the painting and also there is a ship in the water that look to be of quite a large size that would be ideal to ship items around the seas. This would also show a more populated and somewhat of a more advanced society in those times.

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    1. After knowing the title of painting and also some back round on it my knowledge has increased 100%. I first thought the painting was just a simple trading town and i did not even know the legs were in the water. After reading some about the "Fall of Icarus"f i now learned that the legs in the water show Icarus falling to his death after not listening to his father. I also learn that the man in the white shirt is most likely Daedalus looking at his son fall to his death, but to wrap it up in short the reading really improved my knowledge of this painting

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  18. The first thing to draw my attention in this picture is the man in the orange shirt. This is because he is wearing such a bright color, along with the fact that he is the closest large object in the scene. After studying the picture I that the man in the orange shirt is accompanied by a man in a blue shirt and one in a white one, who all seem to be farming. I also see a few glistening cities and islands in the background. This makes me wonder whether these farmers are supporting the city. I also wonder whether they are wealthy enough to live in such a good looking city, or if they are simply farmers without enough to do more then just support the city. I think the painting is trying to convey to us the pain of people living in lower social and economics, as it portrays these people farming outside of the nice city and not necessarily enjoying the niceness that they helped create.

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    1. After learning about the "Fall of Icarus" myth, my view of the painting changed drastically. Before I heard the myth, the legs sticking out of the water in the painting were confusingly out of place. However, now I know that the legs were Icarus after he had fallen into the water because of his ambitious flight. I still wonder where in the painting is the prison that Daedalus and Icarus were banished to? And also whether the man in the white shirt is Daedalus?

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  20. As I looked at the painting the first thing to come to my attention were the sailboats. They offered a large contrast between the blue water and the brown hulls. If I could ask the artist anything, it would be; why does the man where such a bright orange shirt and have a focused position in relation to the rest painting? I think this painting wants us to realize we have to work for what we want. The painting has that glistening city in the distance and everything is aimed in that direction as if it were showing that all these people were trying to end up there one day.

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    1. After reading the Greek myth about Icarus and knowing the title of the painting, The Fall of Icarus, I have a better understanding of the painting. I now know why those legs are sticking out of the water, I originally thought some what had jumped in but know I learned that it was most likely Icarus falling to his death because his wings fell apart. However due to the title of the painting I would find that the legs sticking out of the water would be of larger significance. I also know where this takes place and what time of day this is. The city in the background is Athens and because of the title I can tell that the sun is setting, so I also that is is late in the day.

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  21. When I first look at the painting my eyes are drawn right to the setting sun that sits above the body of water or oceans that lies on north of the town depicted in the painting. I believe that my eyes are drawn to this particular spot on the image because it is the lightest color in the painting but also because it is close to the center of the painting.

    I would ask the artist were or what area he had in mind when he painted this because I'm curious to know what city is on the ocean but is also close to mountains. This draw my attention because there is a lot going on but he only shows a small glimpse of his or her masterpiece.

    Personally I think the artist was trying to capture the beauty of every day life in a certain place. I can tell this is happening because he depicts a man working in his field one man herding sheep which are not seen in landscape paintings. The emotion that the painting gives off is almost bitter sweet.i believe this because the day is ending witch can be taken as either bitter or sweet but also how beautiful nature can be.

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    1. While in class on friday we read the greek myth Daedalus and Icarus. This Myth speaks of how Daedalus and his son were imprisoned in a tower as many stories up as many-storeyed as the labyrinth many-acred. Being clever Daedalus created a plan to escape, while finally executing this plan Icarus flew too close to the sun. He was not clever like Perdix and did not fly low to avoid danger. This changes the meaning of the painting because it give the man kneeling before the sea and the legs a meaning. It also gives the painting a time place and overall setting. One thing that i think the artist lacks is the low flying partridge that mocks Daedalus once he has landed on the shore.

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  22. When i first look at the painting my eyes were drawn to the island in the middle of the ocean or sea. It looks sorta like a large castle and I think that my eyes were drawn to it because it looks there is a town farther back in this picture but there is also a castle looking thing in the middle of a ocean

    I would like to ask the artist if above this city is there smog or are those low clouds because if it is smog I am then confused by why the man in the orange shirt is clearing the fields with an oxen instead of superior technology

    I think that the artist is try to display how beautiful and peaceful this town is and that is also trying to show that in a place of happiness there is work to be done like the man who is clearing the field in the front of the picture in the orange. This picture is trying to convey that even in the smallest of towns there is a lot going on despite how small the town is.

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    1. After learning about the Fall of Icarus i now understand that the legs in the water are his son's legs. I originally thought that the man in the white shirt had pushed the other guy into the ocean but now i know that he is the father of him. He feel in by flying to close to the sun and melting the wax in the wings.

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  24. 1. What object drew my attenion the most was the man in the red shirt following behind a donkey/mule. I think that this was drawn to my eye first because it is in the middle of the painting and because he has a bright colored shirt.

    2. As i scanned the painting, from the turquoise ocean and sailing ship to the village in the backround and the working men, if i were to ask the artist one thing it would be about the sailboats. where are they going? what do they have in them? What is their objective?

    3.I think that this painting is trying to tell a story about the two men's lives. The reason why i feel this way is because they are the only people in the painting, which means it is most likely about them, they are farming which means they are farmers, there are sailboats and an ocean which means they are also either fishermen or sailors.

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    1. After discussing and examining the painting in class, my prospective of the painting has changed dramatically. First, I realized that Icarus is such a crucial character in the story we read and in the painting he is a distinct figure. Icarus is the man who is falling into the sea with his legs sticking out. I noticed that my opinion about the lighting of the sun has changed as well. I feel that there are two sides of the lighting, one a good side and the other a bad side. The bad side representing Icaris falling into the ocean after his wings being melted my the sun and the good side representing Daedalus, with his head down, going into freedom and happiness.

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  25. 1.The first thing to catch my eye in the painting is the shirt on the person with the horse because it is bright red and it is in the middle of the painting.
    2.If I could ask the artist one thing about the painting it would be, what is the pair of legs doing in the water on the bottom right corner of the painting is it someone swimming?
    3.I think the artist could be trying to convey that their is a bright side and a dark side to every thing because the city is in light colors and looks more happy and around the farmer and the ship theirs darker colors and it does not look that happy. Or the artist is trying to convey that we can go from a more simple period like farming to a modern period like the city and how we progress.

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    1. After reading the myth about Icarus and being told the name of the painting which is "Fall of Icarus" I understand the painting a lot more then I did before. I think that the pair of legs in the water are Icarus's when he tried to fly but his wings melted because he got to close to the sun and he fell. I also think that the town in the background is where Icarus and his dad lived and where the Labyrinth was. The island in the middle is probably where they were both kept. The guy in the middle of the painting with the red shirt also looks like he kinda has hooves and stands like a bull so that could be the Minotaur. The sun is setting which probably symbolizes the fall of Icarus. What is a little weird is that if that is Icarus in the water, why did the artist make him such a small part of the painting?

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  26. 1: The part of the painting that sticks out the most is the bright red shirt that the person is wearing. It sticks out the most because it is the most "un-dull" part of the painting.

    2: Why is there a castle in the middle of the water? Or where is this painting taking place?

    3: I think this picture represents the working class exonomy. Where everybody does their part. The reason i say this is because when you look at this picture you dont see anyone sitting around. They're all active.

    -Matt Myers.

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    1. After reviewing the following painting in class on Friday i realize that my interpretation was way off on what was being portrayed. At first i thought that was a castle in the middle of the water not a labyrinth. I also did not even come close to noticing the upside-down person in the water. As i re-read my first post i can see that i believed it was about the economy back then and now that i realize that this was about the gods and mythical stories my post from earlier seems very inadequate and lacking.
      -Matt Myers

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  27. 1.What caught my eye was the man in the red shirt. It looks like he has a soward in his hand

    2. my question is, are you going to stab that donkey?

    3. I believe that this painting is trying to show is that this man needs food so he is going to stab a donkey

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    1. after learning about the myth the myth makes a little more sense to me, I think that the legs in the water are the legs of the "idiot son" who flew to close to the sun and then fell to the water.. The man in the red is the king who sent them to jail for the rest of their lives..

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  28. 1: the thing that caught my attention first was the swig ship on the sea. I think this was a few reasons but mostly because it is a very large part of the painting and has many many details. Furthermore I like these ships so I kinda zeroed in on it first intentionally.
    2. If I could ask the artist one question it'd be why he slanted the whole painting towards the city. It is a nice touch but I wonder if he is trying to convey something by doing this.
    3.i think the artist is trying to show the change throughout a thriving city. It goes from the lower clas of farming and agricultre, to the sailing of ships and then further to the city environment and workplaces. But it could also be just a painting of a happy time this man had.

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    1. After reading the Greek myth as a class and learning the whole story, the picture becomes more understandable. For instance now I know why there's a pair Of legs in the ocean as opposed to thinking it was just some guy drowning. It's icuras! And I also know that there are two islands for a reason. One was the island where Icarus and his father were imprisoned, the other is where they escaped to. But I also know that the city is where the tower was that the king built to imprison the boy and his dad. That is how reading the Greek myth helped me understand this picture better.

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  29. 1. My eye is draw to the person in the middle of the screen when i look at it right away.
    2.I would ask the artist why the sail on the boat is so far out is it just because its windy or if that is how its suppose to be. And also why the sun is so bright and yellow in the back of the paper.
    3.I think the artist is show how a city that is thriving works and all the parts of it put together working as one. And also what a ncet city would of looked like.

    Jimmy Hall

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    1. After reading the greek myth of the lcarus and now knowing the title of the painting I now understand the painting much better then i did before. The man in the water is duglas son because when they where escaping the tower he flew to high and his glue melted on his wings and he crashed into the sea. And The island in the bay was the tower that duglas and his son where sent to for there punishment. Also the city in the background i think is now where the king lives and also where the maze is the his half bull half man son was trapped in but was killed by lucars.

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  30. what first drawled my attention was the travler in the back ground of the farmer. he seems to be wearing rags and a backpack as well he has a walking stick

    2. I would ask what the season is that would create this kind of scene

    3. I think the artist was trying to show how a society in the time of the painting may have worked or been run.

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    2. Now that I have heard the story of Icarius the painting makes a lot of sense. Knowing the time period of when the painting would have been based on. However I would now ask why the artist made Icarius so small in his painting called The Fall of Icarius

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  31. 1. In the painting my eyes were first drawn to the guy farmer who is fertilizing the ground with his horse.
    2.If I were to ask a question it would be, In the bottom right corner it looks like two feet coming out of the ground, Is he drowning or is it some kind of symbol?
    3.I say that this picture was painted to show all the things that are happening at one time. I'm guessing this because it shows a man farming, a man hiking a man, a man fishing, and Boats cruising away.

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    1. The myth of Icarius had me change my whole perspective about this picture. I think the Rock thing in the water is where they flew out of to escape but Icarius flew to high and the wax got softer on the wing and his wing broke and fell in the water, that's why there is two feet coming out of the water. I don't know why the reason that the artist made the drowsing of Icarius small and in the corner, maybe it was for adding a better view of all that is happening when this was going on or keep the people guessing.

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  32. When I first look at this picture my eyes are guided to the man or women in the red shirt. The reason why my eyes are drawn there is because the red stands out compared to all the other colors in the painting and I feel it is zoomed in more on the man or women more than anything else.

    If I were to ask the artist something it would be along the lines of what inspired them to paint this and what was the background behind this painting.

    I personally believe this painting is trying to convey to us that the world is beautiful no matter what angle you see it from. The reason I say that is because the man or women looks to be doing slave work but he has a beautiful view of the ocean and that you should always keep a positive look on life.

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    1. After learning about the myth of Icarius my view on the painting is not even close on what it was before learning about the myth. Since reading the myth I now believe the painting resembles balance. I say that because in the myth Icarius tries to escape the tower by using wings that his father made and his father tells him to not fly too high towards the sun and not to fly towards the ocean and to stay in between, and in the painting you can actually see Icarius's legs in the ocean which I did not notice the first time I glanced at this painting. So overall after learning more about the story behind the painting I now think this painting is trying to convey that you need balance in life to succeed and if you don't they you will eventually fail.

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  33. As I began to admire this wonderful painting, my eye was immediately drawn to the man in bright red. I believe this really caught my eye because in a world of gloomy shades of grey, yellow, brown, and blue, this man’s shirt is the only thing that stood out. I believe the artist made him the brightest part of the picture to symbolize something, and clearly show that he is a big factor in this ominous painting.

    As I let my eyes wander over this piece of art, there were a few questions that came to mind. First, I was very curious why there were legs flailing in the bottom of the sea. In addition, I wanted to know why the painting was so ominous and what that was trying to symbolize.

    In my opinion, I believe the painting is trying to convey that in a world of darkness and depression, there is always hope. I say this because when I look at the dark clouds, the man falling in the ocean, and the depressing theme as a whole, there is still sunlight shining on a man in red, lighting up this somber piece of art.

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  34. After dissecting this painting in our class discussion on Friday, my knowledge and understanding of this picture has increased dramatically. It starts with the title, "The Fall of Icarus." Knowing now that Icarus is the man who is falling into the sea, this explains the gloomy atmosphere of the painting. However, when I think about the title, I still wonder why Icarus is such a small piece of the painting, one that most of my classmates did not even notice. In addition, my view of the bright sun shining on Daedalus has changed. Instead of the sun symbolizing hope, I now believe it was shining on Daedalus to emphasize his sadness, and regret. Even though you cannot see his face, the fact that his head is down and he is walking away from his son Icarus, shows that he knows he messed up, and the death of his son could have been prevented.

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  35. 1 The first part of the painting my eyes are drawn to would be the mountains in the back ground top right. to me its a very bland part of the painting at first but after you glance at it for a while it starts to show detail.

    2 after glancing at the picture in all directions I found that the detail on the mountains to my eyes is done just right to make show detail at a far distance of the trees and what looks like there might be some houses just below the tree line. The one question would be to the artist is why he/she chose to do this time ere instead of another time era.

    3I think that the artist is trying to show what it was like to be in that time and how much harder you have to work to get your goals.

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    1. Now that I understand the painting the whole concept of the painting is that no one really noticed that Icarus had just fell to his death, and I dont really no if the gods made to where the people would go on with their lifes and to notice or they would punished along with Icarus and one questioned I had was why is it that Icarus is just not found in the picture without first taking a good long look at the painting.

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