Sculpture, Icaro - 35 cm - Earthenware

Icarus – Sculpture in patinated terracotta, 20th century

Figurative sculpture in patinated terracotta, dateable to the 20th century, depicting Icarus, one of the most intense subjects of classical mythology.

The work represents the young hero in a strongly dynamic and dramatic pose. The body, taut and projected upward, suggests the moment of flight, the challenge, and the imminent fall. The deliberately, tactile modeling, with irregular surfaces, incisions, reliefs and traces of patination, gives the figure an expressive and almost tormented character.

Particularly interesting is the treatment of the surface, characterized by a dark patina with metallic reflections and coppery tones, which lends the terracotta the visual appearance of an ancient bronze. The lighter areas and abrasions further highlight the sculpture’s plasticity and the artist’s manual craftsmanship.

The subject of Icarus here takes on a modern reading: not only the myth of the man who flies too close to the sun, but also a representation of ambition, the desire to exceed one’s limits, of freedom and human fragility.

A work of strong stage presence, suitable for both a 20th-century sculpture collection and a contemporary setting.

Material: patinated terracotta
Subject: Icarus
Period: 20th century
Dimensions: approximately 35 × 25 × 22 cm
Conditions: good overall condition compatible with the age and with the particular tactile working of the piece. Any irregularities, abrasions and variations in patina are part of the sculpture’s character.