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Jacobus Nicolaus Sandig, Icarus Falling, Dutch Art Deco Bronze Sculpture, 1925

$7,500
£5,696.43
€6,581.26
CA$10,511.52
A$11,764.37
CHF 6,140.10
MX$143,464.66
NOK 78,584.88
SEK 74,390.65
DKK 49,115.10
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About the Item

ABOUT ARTIST Regretfully, there is only a limited amount of biographical information available on the author of this wonderful sculpture - Jacobus Nicolaus Sandig (Dutch, 1876 - 1933) was active/lived in the Netherlands, and is known for sculpture. THE TRAGIC STORY OF THE FALL OF ICARUS In Greek mythology, Icarus and his father, Daedalus, were imprisoned on an island by King Minos. As the legend goes, Daedalus wanted to leave Crete, but the king ordered him to stay and to go on working for him by building a maze to keep the feared Minotaur under control. In order to escape, Daedalus — a master craftsman — created two sets of wings made of wax and feathers. He warned his son not to fly very low, so as his wings would not get destroyed by the humidity of the sea; and not to fly too close to the sun, as the wax would melt them. While escaping, Icarus ignored his father's instructions to maintain a course between the heavens and the sea and flew too close to the sun. The excited and careless young boy started playing and flying higher, despite the exhortations of Daedalus. As the result, Icarus tumbles out of the sky, falls into the sea, and drowns. The myth gave rise to the idiom "don't fly too close to the sun”. The legend says that Icarus laughed as he fell and yelled into the winds, arms spread wide, teeth bared to the world. He fell to his death into what is now know as the Icarus Sea. After burying Icarus, Daedalus traveled to Camicus in Sicily, where he stayed as a guest under the protection of King Cocalus. There Daedalus built a temple to Apollo, and hung up his wings as an offering to the god. The tragic story of Icarus is one of those legends of Greek mythology that fascinates audiences because of his desire to go beyond human boundaries and the tragic consequences this brought about. The fall of Icarus is the fall of humanity. It also signals degrading human values and essence of human living. Both, the sun and the sea showed no sincerity to think about Icarus. The moral of the myth warns against the needless search of instant satisfaction, in a way underlying the idea of sophrosyne (Greek: s?f??s???), a term that stands for healthy-mindedness, implying self-control guided by knowledge and balance. Life is a gift, and maintaining a balance with everything in moderation will ensure a long one. The wings represent the father giving his son life; the ocean and the sun represent the extremes of denying and overindulging yourself. Flying in between is the answer.
  • Creator:
    Jacobus Nicolaus Sandig (Sculptor)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 17.75 in (45.09 cm)Width: 10.5 in (26.67 cm)Depth: 9 in (22.86 cm)
  • Style:
    Romantic (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Bronze,Patinated
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1925
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. We make our best effort to provide a fair and descriptive condition report. Please examine photos attentively, as they are an integral part of the description. Send us a message to request more details or discuss price.
  • Seller Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2819328591442

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