From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| The Myth of Prometheus |
| Piero di Cosimo, 1515 |
| Oil on panel |
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| Alte Pinakothek, Munich |
The Myth of Prometheus is a 1515 oil painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Piero di Cosimo. It is currently housed in the Alte Pinakothek of Munich.
Prometheus in Greek mythology is the son of Iapetus, a Titan. He created the first man from clay, stole fire from the gods to give to mankind, and was punished by Zeus, the father of the gods, by being chained to a rock where an eagle came everyday to feed on his liver. According to Ovid, whose work inspired much of the mythological episodes painted by Piero, Prometheus made the figure of a man from clay in the image of the gods. He is shown before a life-size statue which stands on a pedestal.
