Icarus a.k.a. Daedalus & Icarus

Joseph Anthony Mugnaini

A lithograph done by Joseph Mugnaini in 1953, working with the California Master Printer, lithographer Lynton Kistler. From a series of mythological themes done in editions of 20. This impression is accompanied by an 'authentication' from Kistler and signed by Mugnaini.

Mugnaini began his long-time collaboration with author Ray Bradbury in 1952, during which time he interpreted and illustrated many of Bradbury's books, including "Fahrenheit 451" through the "Martian Chronicles".

Icarus was the son of Daedalus, an inventor, craftsman, and creator of the labyrinth. They were trapped in exile on Crete and then imprisoned in the top of a tower by King Minos. Daedalus, ever the inventor, studied the flight of birds and then created a means to escape. Icarus and Daedalus took flight using wings of wax and feathers but Icarus, thrilled with his god-like flight, ignored his father's warning about flying too close to the sun.

They were the first humans to fly which angered the gods. As Icarus's flight took him higher and higher, the sun melted the wax causing Icarus to fall to the earth. In this image, Daedalus is flying low seemingly riding the air currents using his elaborately made wings while Icarus is beginning his descent as the wax binding his feathers melted.