A commercial traveler from Luxembourg, Henri Deplis, receives a modest legacy that leads him to indulge in a tattoo by the renowned but impoverished artist, Signor Andreas Pincini. Deplis commissions a tattoo depicting the Fall of Icarus, which becomes Pincini's masterpiece. However, after Pincini's sudden death, Deplis struggles to pay the widow, ultimately offering less than the agreed amount. The widow, furious, donates the tattoo to the municipality of Bergamo, leading Deplis to flee to Rome to escape the embarrassment. Despite his efforts to distance himself from the artwork, Deplis finds himself unable to bathe in public without covering the tattoo, as it is now considered a protected piece of art. His troubles escalate when he is barred from leaving Italy due to laws against exporting national art. A dispute arises over the authenticity of the tattoo, drawing international attention and leading to a chaotic controversy involving art experts and political ramifications across Europe. Deplis, overwhelmed by the situation, becomes embroiled in anarchist circles and faces repeated deportations as a "dangerous foreigner." His misfortunes culminate when an anarchist accidentally ruins the tattoo during a heated debate, resulting in further legal troubles. Eventually, he is expelled from Italy and wanders the streets of Paris, clinging to the delusion that he is a lost part of a famous statue, while maintaining a semblance of sanity on other topics.
By Saki · First published 1912 · Genre: Satire, Comedy, Fiction